Sighs
by Suffering
Summary: Chapter 14: Teh Fluff! Fluffyness galore. I'm sorry I took so long! FLUFF! MASSIVE OOC!
1. Sighs Chapter 1

Sighs

Chapter 1

Hermione sighed.  Again.  In fact, this would be around the 5th time she'd sighed in the past 2 minutes.  But she had good reason to sigh.  That reason was currently sitting across the room from her, intent on sucking the life out of her friend Lavender through her lips.  She sighed again, when Lavender moaned, quietly, but loud enough for Hermione to hear in the practically deserted Common Room.  

A month previously, Hermione had broken up with her boyfriend.  Now, said boyfriend was the one acting like a vacuum cleaner with her friend.

She sighed again.  Then, a hand fell on her shoulder.  

"Hey…You OK?"

She jumped.  Turning she found herself looking into blue eyes.  

"Hey.  You startled me, is all.  I'm fine."

He raised an eyebrow.  And threw her a look that said 'Right.  And I'm in love with MALFOY."

"Right.  If that's so, then why have you been sighing like you can't breathe.  Or you've decided to SIGH instead of BREATHE.  Neither of which I think would be characteristic of the Hermione we know."

She grimaced, and stuck her tongue out.  

"Who asked you?  And besides, why aren't you over there with Luna, making like you need to share air.  And spit."

He grinned,

"Because she said she wouldn't let me do either of those things if I didn't come over here and find out what's wrong.  You know, having a lone girl sighing every 10 seconds sort of kills the mood."

Hermione glared at him.  And then reached out to tousle his hair.  No significant feat, as he had grown several inches over the previous summer.

"Sure Ronnekins.  Whatever you need."

"HEY!  I told you not to call me that.  EVER AGAIN."

"So you did.  Ronnekins.  Now.  Leave me alo…"

A shadow fell across her table.  

"Are you two arguing AGAIN?  Don't you two ever get tired of it?"

For a second, all three smiled.  For a second, everything was right in the world.  And for a second, Hermione was happy once more.  

Then reality set in.

"Hi guys! How's it going?"

Lavender.  

"fine."

"yeah, it's ok…"

Ron and Hermione shared a look.  Ron motioned towards Harry with his eyes, and Hermione turned.  Harry looked extremely uncomfortable, his head turned away.  

"Harry."

Hermione looked up at Harry.  

"Hermione."

Harry took in her face.  It was still the most beautiful he had ever seen.  Then he looked away.  

"What am I?  Chopped liver?"

Ron was still grinning.  He looked around the room to see if anyone had caught his use of a Muggle joke.  The grin fell off his face when he caught sight of Harry and Hermione.  Harry was staring off into space and Hermione looked like she wanted to cry.  Which was strange because Hermione had been the one to end the relationship.  

"Hmm…never mind.  Hey Hermione, I need your help to find a book in the library."  Ron grimaced inwardly.  'Wow.  That's not overused at all.'  Then he shrugged, "I mean, I don't really like to go in there very much.  It's all dank and dusty.  Makes me sneeze.  I swear, I'm allergic to mold.  And dust.  So.  Hermione, you coming?  Please?  Don't make me do this alone!"

Hermione stiffened, but she smiled at Ron, 

"Yeah.  Let's go.  I wouldn't want you to endure that torture alone."

This time, Harry flinched.  Even Ron was struck dumb.  Last semester, Hermione had spent 4 days in the grasp of Voldemort and his followers.  She was tortured and left to die.  Alone.  She was rescued by Snape and Malfoy, who found her in the woods.  Harry hadn't even been to see her when she came to.  

"What did I say?  It was a joke!  You know, 'ha ha, that's funny'?"  She grinned and walked out the door.  Ron stumbled after her.  

Neither heard Harry turn and whisper "I'm sorry."

Hermione was walking so fast that she managed to turn a corner and lose her footing.  She was saved, once again, by a certain sliver haired, slate eyed young man.  

"Hey!  Watch where you're going!"

Hermione smiled up at Malfoy, and disentangled herself from him.

"Sorry.  I'm just, you know.  Having a bad day."

"What's Potty done now?"

"I told you not to call him that!  And it wasn't anything that he did.  Well…Not entirely.  It was more something I said."

Malfoy looked intrigued.  Of course, he was certain he was about to hear something incriminating about Potter.  And he was ALWAYS intrigued when it came to that.  He hadn't changed completely.  

"Which would be…?"

Hermione told Draco what she had seen, and what she had been doing.  Draco replied that he wasn't surprised, and that they were both "stupid ignorant fools."

But he had a very different reaction when she told him of what she had said.  He looked shocked and then very angry.  

"How could you say something like that to him!  It wasn't his fault that he wasn't there to save you!  He was…crap."

"He was what?!  NOT THERE?!  MAKING OUT WITH A GIRL SOMEWHERE?  ONE OF HIS FANS?!"

"NO!  HE WAS HELPING US TRACK DOWN MY FATHER!  HE DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE INJURED, OR THAT YOU'D RETURNED!"

Hermione was taken aback.  Draco Malfoy defending Harry Potter?  

"It wasn't his fault Hermione.  He didn't do it to hurt you!  You KNOW he would have come to save you if he knew.  It's what he does, remember?"

"It didn't save Sirius."

Draco looked stricken. Harry and Ron had arrived, just in time to hear what she had said.

"Shit."  

Hermione looked confused, and turned around.  Where she promptly threw her hands to her mouth and turned pale.  "I'm…I'm…Harry…I'm so…"

"don't.  Just…don't.  I understand now."

With that, Harry turned away and started running.  He didn't see Hermione slump to the ground and start sobbing uncontrollably.

Harry was furious.  'How DARE she?!  What, she thinks that I killed Sirius?  That I have a Hero complex?  That I want to be the Boy Who Lived?'  He paused and looked around.  He had stormed off blindly, and was now outside the castle grounds.  'Good riddance.  I have Lavender now.  Who needs her anyway?'  He scowled.  He felt like hurting something.  

"Hey!  Harry!  Wait up!"

Ron.  

'Wonderful.  Just what I need.  Someone to tell me what an idiot I am for storming off like that.  I wish Voldemort would attack already.  Then maybe I can kill him and this can all be over.'

        Harry paused, and let Ron catch up.  

        Panting, Ron reached Harry.

        "Hey mate!  Thought you'd never stop!"  Catching the look on Harry's face, Ron hurriedly spoke, "Don't worry.  I'm not here to scold you or anything.  What she said was really unwarranted, and you are completely justified to be out here, really annoyed with her."

Harry was caught by surprise.  Ron had always sided with Hermione, especially when it came to issues with him.  Ron and Hermione had dated, early in sixth year, but broken it off after they both realized it was like dating a sibling.  Not exactly kosher.  But they had remained close, and Ron was extremely protective of his adopted sister.

"You're not?  Good.  Cause if you were going to, I'd have to punch you.  Or Hex you."  Harry dropped his scowl, and settled for looking peeved.  "I can't believe she thinks that!  If I had known…"  He trailed off.

Ron looked over at his friend.  Harry had changed over the past few years.  He was bigger, taller, and stronger.  Voldemort wouldn't know what hit him if he challenged Harry.  

"Look, I know you would have come if you had known.  But in all fairness, she IS rather distraught.  You know, being tortured and all will do that to a person."  Harry had regained his scowl, and Ron hurried to defend himself, "but that doesn't justify what she said!  Look, let's go smack around some bludgers.  Work off some steam.  Whaddya say?"

Draco did not have very much experience with females, much less ones that were crying.  So he did what he does best, "Oh, for the love of…Stop crying!"  Straight and to the point.  Unfortunately, it was the wrong thing to say.  Especially to Hermione, who looked up at this, and spoke.

"_Petrificus Totalus"_  

Draco jumped to the side, just barely avoiding the hex, and yelped. 

 "HEY!  I'm trying to help here!  Don't petrify me for trying to help!"  

Hermione managed a watery laugh at that, and muttered,

"You're not doing a very good job.  You're supposed to comfort the person, not yell at them."

Draco had the decency to look chagrined.  And apologetic.

"Sorry.  You know how I am with people.  And crying girls are NOT my forte.  Screaming ones, yes, but not crying.  I haven't had many of those around me.  In fact, I try to avoid them."

Draco found himself trying to avoid a flurry of hexes this time.

"HEY!  Watch where you're aiming!  HEY!  Whoa!  _PROTEGO!_"  Finally coming to his senses, Draco erected a shield and sat behind it waiting for Hermione to calm down.  

Which she did after about 5 minutes.

After which she promptly passed out.

Draco sighed.

"May I ask what all the activity was this morning in the hallway outside the Gryffindor common room?"  Dumbledore directed this question towards Draco, and his eyes twinkled as he awaited the response.

"Ah.  Yes.  Well, Potter, Weasley and Granger were apparently having an argument INSIDE the common room, and decided to take it OUTSIDE.  Granger ran into me and explained what the argument was about.  She had just said something about how Potter's Hero Complex didn't save his godfather and Potter and Weasley had just come into hearing range.  Needless to say, Potter was less than pleased and stormed off.  Weasley followed him.  Strange that.  Usually he takes Hermione's side.  Huh.  Anyway, I tried to comfort her and ended up saying the wrong thing and on the wrong side of her wand.  She then proceeded to try and hit me with all the hexes in the universe."

Dumbledore studied at the young man standing before him.  Draco Malfoy had changed over the years, and while he may not have always had the best intentions, he wasn't one to lie.  He also looked extremely nervous, or anxious, Dumbledore couldn't decide which.

"Well.  Thank you for clearing that up.  I hope that nothing was damaged or injured too badly?"  He smiled when Draco shook his head.

"Good.  Now I'm sure you are anxious to see Miss Granger, so I will send you on your way.  If you happen to see Mr. Potter or Mr. Weasley, I would appreciate it if you sent them here."  Draco nodded, "Well then, I thank you for your succinct appraisal of the situation.  If anything else develops, I trust you will let me know?"

Another nod, and Dumbledore sent Draco on his way.  He summoned a cup of tea and waited for the other parties to arrive.

"Hey.  I'm sorry for what I said earlier."  Draco sat next to Hermione in the Hospital Wing.  He received no reply, as she was asleep, but continued anyway. "They're both idiots.  I mean, come on, leaving you with ME?  Right.  Bloody, stupid wankers, the both of them.  It should be THEM here, talking to an unconscious person, not me.  You've corrupted me!"  He gave a wry smile, and leaned back in his chair.  'I wish these things were more comfortable.'  Draco shrugged and sighed.  'I wonder when Potty and the Weasel will get here.  If they get here.  Potty might not, but Weasley?  He thinks of Hermione like a sister!  I bet he'd kill me if he saw me here."

"I was just wondering anyway.  Why DID you break up with Potty?  I mean, you two were the golden couple of Hogwarts!  Everyone thought you'd be together forever!  Well…almost everyone."  Draco contemplated that for a moment.  

"I told you not to call him that."

"Hey!  She's awake!  Well, now.  It's about time."

"Where's my wand?  I want it so I can hex you."

Draco looked amused as Hermione glared at him.  Hermione didn't like the fact that her Death Glare wasn't working, so she glared harder.

"That won't work you know.  The person you're glaring at has to be afraid of the person glaring in order for that to work.  I have a wand.  You don't.  I'm not scared."

Hermione gave up with a sigh.  She didn't have the energy to glare at anyone right now.  

"I told you not to call him that."

Draco grinned.

"What?  Potty?  Why not?  It should be his nickname!  It's shorter than the Boy Who Lived, and it fits better too!"

Hermione tried another death glare, but Draco didn't falter.

"I'm sorry for what I said earlier.  About the whole stop crying thing and avoiding crying females."

Hermione nodded and sighed.

"Want some food?  I can probably get a house elf to bring something up for you."

"Ah, you're awake!  Good.  Mr. Malfoy, I'm going to have to ask you to excuse us, as I must perform some tests on Ms. Granger.  Why don't you get her some food.  She must be hungry."

At Hermione's nod, Draco turned and walked out.

"I'll be back.  Don't go anywhere."

Hermione nodded and turned back to Madam Pomfrey.  

Draco sighed.  Again.

*THWACK*

"Nice one Harry!"  Ron watched as the bludger soared off into the distance.  The way that one was moving, it wouldn't be back anytime soon.  Another crack brought his head around, and he caught the last images of Harry hitting a bludger so hard it shattered.  Powdered would probably be a better word.  

"Whoa."  Ron stared at Harry, who floated downwards.  He followed suit, and soon they were in the locker room, putting their gear away.  

"Man.  I've never seen anything like that!  You completely destroyed that bludger Harry!  You killed it!  That was amazing!"

"Yeah.  I guess I did."

Ron looked over at Harry.  He looked drained, tiredand something else.  Something Ron had never seen in Harry.  He looked old.

"Hey.  You ok?"

Harry looked up. "Yeah.  I'm alright."  He slammed his locker and walked out.  Ron hurried after him.  

"Let's go see where Hermione is.  I hope she's ok."

"Well, well, well.  Look who it is.  Potty and the Weasel.  It's about time.  Dumbledore wants to see you."  Ron and Harry turned and found Malfoy staring at them.  Contempt literally rolled off him.  "And after you're done there, you can go and visit Hermione in the Hospital Wing."

With that, Draco stormed off.  'serves them right.  Neither one deserves to have a friend like Hermione.'

Ron and Harry stared, mouths open.  Ron recovered first.

"Harry?  Hey, mate, Dumbledore wants to see us.  OI!"

Harry jumped, and turned to look at Ron.

"Was that MALFOY?  Did he just call Hermione…Hermione?  What's going on?!"

Ron looked as confused as Harry, but replied, "Maybe we should go see Dumbledore first.  He'll have some answers.  He always has answers."  Ron took off towards The Headmaster's office.  

Harry sighed.

"Ah Harry, Ron, welcome!  Lemon drop?"  Professor Dumbledore stood up as the two boys entered.  

"No, thank you Professor."

"No, thanks."

"Hm.  Pity.  So.  I assume you are here because Mr. Malfoy told you what has happened?"

Harry and Ron looked at each other.  It wasn't fair!  How could one man know the answer to everything!  Harry was the first to reply.

"Sort of.  He said you wanted to see us.  He also said Hermione was in the Hospital Wing.  We were wondering if you could explain any of this."

Dumbledore nodded and considered his words.  He wasn't sure exactly how much Harry and Ron needed to hear.  Finally he spoke, "Yes.  There was some activity in the Gryffindor hallway this morning and I had asked Mr. Malfoy what had happened.  He mentioned an argument between you and Ms. Granger.  One that she ended with a mention of your godfather."

Dumbledore watched Harry carefully for his reaction.  He was not disappointed.

Harry exploded.  

"She accused me of causing Sirius' death!  She told me I had a Hero Complex, and insinuated that I wasn't there to rescue her, and that I WANTED to leave her to be tortured!  I'm not sure what Malfoy told you, but it was a lie!  I never wanted any of those things!  I…I…"

Harry appeared to run out of steam and sat down.  Ron took over.

"She accused him of everything he's hated!  She basically told him to go to hell and stay there!  I don't know how Malfoy twisted it, but she had NO right to say that Harry was responsible for Sirius' death!"

Professor Dumbledore looked at both of them.  Harry had his head in his hands, and Ron looked, well…peeved.

"Mr. Malfoy told me nothing but the truth of what he saw.  You two were having an argument…" Ron looked like he wanted to interrupt, and Dumbledore held up a hand.  "I know that you disagree, but please, wait until I am finished.  There was an argument, he did not say who started it.  He was the one who brought this to my attention, and he was summoned here because he was found at the point of a disturbance this morning.  Several alarms had been set off because of spells being cast.  Mr. Malfoy explained that he had been the target of the spells, which were cast by Ms. Granger, for something he said."

Harry and Ron looked up and saw that the Headmaster was serious.  

"I trust Mr. Malfoy and do so because I know that Ms. Granger was brought to the Hospital Wing by him.  He has since remained there, watching over her.  I am sure that you all have your reasons for arguing, but please, do not let it escalate to the point of spells.  I am sure that Ms. Granger is sorry for the things she said, and I am sure that you have it within your power to forgive her.  Now.  You are anxious to see her, and I understand she is awake.  Try to keep out of trouble from now on, hmm?"

Dumbledore smiled at the boys and they exited the room.  When they were gone, he turned to Fawkes.

"I believe I am getting too old for this, my friend.  This castle is also old, and I fear that my time is coming up.  Voldemort will make his move soon, and if those four people do not resolve their differences, we may not win this battle."

Fawkes looked at the Headmaster, and tilted his head.

Albus Dumbledore sighed.

Harry and Ron skidded to a stop in front of the Hospital Wing doors.  They opened them to find a sight neither one was prepared to see:  Malfoy sitting peaceably in a chair next to Hermione's bed, talking with her quietly.  

Harry bristled.  Ron scowled.  Both marched over to her bed.  Well…perhaps STOMPED is a better word.

"Malfoy.  What are you doing here?"

Harry glared at Draco.  

"He's here because I want him here.  He's here because he brought me here, and I want him to stay."

Harry and Ron gaped.  HERMIONE wanted MALFOY to stay!?

Draco smirked.  

Ron's fist hit Draco's smirk.  Ron's fist won.

"What have you done to Hermione!?  What did you do?!"

Draco was flat on the floor.  

"RONALD BILIUS WEASLEY!"

Ron looked up.  And immediately wished he hadn't.  Hermione was in full Death Glare mode.  She also had her wand out.  

"HOW DARE YOU IMPLY THAT HE'S DONE SOMETHING TO ME!  HE'S DONE MORE FOR ME THAN YOU HAVE OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS!"

Ron paled.

"You know, I should hex you back to the Burrow!  Maybe I'll tell your mother what you did!  Hmm?  Would you like that?"

Ron shook his head.

"Well.  I suppose not.  Now.  Apologize to Draco."

Ron went red.  

"NOW."

"Sorry."

"Ah, it's no problem.  I suppose I'd had that coming."

Harry and Ron gaped.  Again. Draco Malfoy not taking advantage of Ron?  What?  WHAT? WHAT WAS GOING ON!?

"There.  Now.  Shake hands."

Ron stuck his hand out without thinking.  Draco shook it and then moved to sit down in his chair.  

"Potty…Potter!  What are you doing in my chair!?"

Harry looked confused.  

"Oh.  Sorry." 

Harry stood up and looked over at Ron.  Ron was rooted to the spot, not moving.  

"Ron?  Mate?  HEY!  RON!"

"WHAT!?  THAT WAS MY EAR!"

Hermione giggled.  

All three boys turned and stared.  Hermione didn't giggle, she laughed.  Harmione and giggle in the same sentence was the same as saying Hermione and procrastination in the same sentence.  It just didn't happen.

"I'm sorry!  That was funny though!  Sorry.  Look, Draco, thanks for staying with me, and helping me, but I think I need to talk to Harry and Ron alone.  I'll see you later okay?"

She smiled at Draco and patted his hand.  Draco smiled back and nodded.

"Potter, Weasley, see you around.  Don't do anything stupid."

They nodded and Harry sat down.  Ron went in search of another chair.

"So."

"so."

Harry and Hermione stared at each other.  They kept staring at each other until Ron returned.

"Well, what is this?  A staring contest?"

Wonderful timing.  Ron is the master of timing.  

"What?"

"No, No.  Harry and I were just…"

"right."

"So, mind explaining why you tolerated Malfoy just now?  And you CAN tell us the truth.  We won't tell him."

Hermione Death Glared both of them.  And both paled.

"I didn't 'tolerate' Malfoy.  I like him.  He's a friend now.  And he WAS the one to rescue me, if you remember."

Ron winced at this, and Harry stiffened.  

"I'm sorry.  I'm sorry I wasn't there for you when you needed me.  I'm sorry I failed you.  I failed you, I failed Sirius, I failed my parents, I've failed everyone.  I'm sorry."

Hermione froze.  

Seeing an opening, Harry continued, 

"It's too late for sorry, I know, but I had to say it.  I know it won't make up for all the things I've done; it's just a word…"

"I don't care."

Hermione flipped over in her bed, leaving a shocked Ron and speechless Harry behind her.


	2. Sighs Chapter 2

Sighs

Chapter 2

More OOC in this one.  I forgot to mention that in my summary.  I suck with summaries.  Sorry.

Warning:  Information about Hermione's time in Voldemort's clutches is revealed.  It's a bit of a shocker so I'm bumping up the rating.

Now.  On to the story.

"I don't care."

Three words.  It's actually rather amazing how three tiny little words could do so much damage.  After a week, the amount of damage had become apparent.  It was MASSIVE.

Ron sat in the Great Hall, early for a change, with only a few other people there.  

'She doesn't care?  She's ALWAYS cared!  How could she not care!?  Doesn't she know what it's doing to Harry?  To HER?'

"AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!"  Ron looked around, hoping that no one had noticed his little outburst.  One or two people looked over, but quickly turned back when they noticed the look he was giving his plate.  The Great Hall's doors opened, and more students marched in.  As the stream of students tapered off, a lone person could be seen trudging in, his head down, exuding an aura of sadness and loss.

Harry.

He took a seat at the end of the table and started to put food on his plate.  Never once did he look up, and never once did that feeling of emptiness surrounding him dim.  

Ron sighed.  Watching Harry sit there staring at his plate had made him lose his appetite.  Knowing Ron, and his penchant for food, this was no small feat.  Pushing his plate away from him, Ron decided that it was time for action.  

Ron was LONG overdue for a good talk with Hermione.

Hermione lay in her bed in the hospital wing, waiting for Madame Pomfrey to return.  She had books, care of Draco, and parchment.  If she couldn't do anything else, she might as well get further ahead in all her classes.  No harm in being prepared right?  She was concentrating so hard that she didn't hear Ron enter, and didn't even notice him until he was standing right next to her bed.  

"HERMIONE!"

Hermione started, spilling her inkpot all over the bed.  

"AH!  Ron!  You scared me!  Look what you made me do!  I spilled ink everywhere!"

Ron smirked.  And it wasn't a 'Ron' smirk; it was a Malfoy smirk.  

"Well, it's not like it really matters anyway.  One, you're a witch.  A simple spell, and everything's neat again!  And two, you've written the same like 25 times.  I think that the inkpot is the least of your worries right now.  And besides, we need to talk."

Inwardly, Hermione groaned.  The way that Ron said talk meant only one thing.  This wasn't going to be a talk about quidditch or homework.  This was going to be the talk that she had dreaded all week.  This was going to be about Harry.

"Ron, Not now.  I'm tired, and I don't want to hear it."  Hermione hoped that this would be enough to dissuade Ron.  But if it wasn't, well she had insurance.  She added a Death Glare to make sure.  

Neither worked.

"Oh no.  We're talking about this now.  Because it's starting to get on my nerves.  Harry trudged into the Great Hall this morning, and I swear, every living thing within a 30 foot area started to hate themselves.  And how can you not care!?  You've ALWAYS cared.  That's what this whole thing has been about right?  The fact that you care, more than you should!  Or want to, I suppose.  How can you just declare that you 'Don't care' like that!  We BOTH count on you to care!  I mean, come on!  You make everyone around you want to do better!  Just look at me!  I'm doing OK in school.  Well…I could be doing better, I know, but still!  I'm better than I was 4 years ago!  And it's because of you!  And MALFOY!  He's changed!  And it was because of YOU.  No one else.  Of course, it did help that you swore that if he ever called you a mudblood again, you'd take away his ability to have children.  But that's not the point!  The point is, this isn't like you.  I don't understand how you can act like this and blow off the rest of the world!"

Hermione was stunned.  She hadn't been yelled at like that since, well, EVER.  Her anger started to build, and she opened her mouth to respond.

"I'm not done.  NO!  You're going to sit there and you're going to listen.  You can hex me all you like when I'm done, but this needs to be said."

Her mouth snapped shut and she nodded.  Ron was serious, and when Ron was serious, you paid attention or you got the hell out of the way.  Since she couldn't move, listening was the only course open to her.

"I know that Harry wasn't there for you when you needed him.  But there are 15 families out there that are alive because of what he did.  One of them is mine.  Another is yours.  He captured Lucius Malfoy.  He's been practicing Occlumency so his scar doesn't react when Voldemort's feeling a powerful emotion.  Or something like that.  He knew that in the scheme of things, he's just one man.  He's just one person.  And so are we.  And when that's weighed against our families, ANY family, a thing he's never had, they outweigh a single life.  Now, granted,  your life is more important to him than most other people's, but still, you would have done the same thing.  You would have looked at the bigger picture and done what was right, and you know it.  But now you condemn him for doing that?  For finally learning that it was most likely a trap set for him to waltz right into?  How DARE you.  You're KILLING him.  He's sitting in the Great Hall, staring at his plate.  I'm sure that with the look he was giving it, the plate isn't feeling so good about itself right now.  In fact, it probably wishes it could dash itself against a wall.  When was the last time you saw him?  When he was in here?  He's not HARRY anymore.  He's some mindless shell, going through the motions of being Harry Potter, but he's NOT.  You're part of who he is, and without you, it's like there's nothing left!  GOD DAMMIT HERMIONE!  YOU'RE SMARTER THAN THIS!  I KNOW YOU ARE!"

Hermione was speechless.  Ron was REALLY serious about this.  But her anger surfaced again and this time, it would not be abated.

"You think it's easy, knowing that he doesn't put you first?  That you know what he did was right, and what he did was for the best?  HE LEFT ME ALONE RON!  I WAS TORTURED AND LEFT TO DIE!  AND HE WASN'T THERE!  HARRY'S ALWAYS BEEN THERE FOR ME!  ALWAYS!  NO MATTER WHAT!  And then…and then…"

Hermione paused, gulping in air, trying to breathe, trying desperately to hold back the tears,

"I LOVED HIM AND HE LEFT ME TO DIE!  HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO FEEL!  TELL ME!  WHEN THE PERSON YOU LOVE CARES MORE ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO REACT!?  I KNOW what he did was right.  And I KNOW that he didn't know about me, but it doesn't make the memory go away.  It doesn't make the pain go away.  It's still there."

She pulled up her shirt.  Ron gasped and turned white.  Horrible scars laced her belly, and when she flipped over, he gagged.  There were hideous white lines everywhere.  Scar trails.  From what was undoubtedly a whip.  

"They may never fade Ron.  They may be there for the rest of my life, to remind me of what I went through to ensure that my family, your family, and Harry would be safe.  I didn't tell them ANYTHING.  And each time I refused to tell them something……They STILL hurt.  Why do you think I've been in here so long?  I have these, because my love for Harry, my connection to him, wasn't strong enough.  He didn't care enough about me to…"

"hermione…Oh god.  Oh my god.  I didn't…Oh god."

Hermione's head whipped around to stare at Harry.  He stumbled over to her bed and collapsed next to it.

"Oh my god.  Hermione…they…I…no…oh god."  He leaned towards her and wrapped his arms around her.  

"I'm so sorry.  Oh god I'm sorry.  I didn't know.  Why didn't you tell me?  Oh god."

Ron gasped for air.  How could he not have noticed?  What kind of friend was he, yelling at her when things like this had been done to her?!  

"Hermione, I'm so sorry for yelling at you.  I didn't know.  I…oh god, forgive me.  I'm so sorry."  He leaned in, and her arms went around both of them.  

Together they cried.  

Outside, Madame Pomfrey closed the Hospital Wing doors quietly, leaving the three to themselves.  


	3. Sighs Chapter 3

Sighs

Chapter 3

A/N: This will be a long story, longer than any I've written.  At least I think so.  Some H/Hr in this chapter.  But don't forget.  We still have to resolve the Lavender situation.  I'm evil.  Yes.  But that's ok.  I hope.  

Warning: More heavy stuff.  Hermione reveals exactly what she went through during her torture with Voldemort.  I'm not going to rate this and NC-17, but it's an R.  definitely.  

I also forgot my disclaimer.  I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters from the Harry Potter Books.  Those belong to J.K.R.  I'm not making any money from this so please don't sue me.  Please?  I have very little money.  

Now.  On to the story.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After the tears had subsided, the three broke apart, wiping at their eyes.  Things would never be the same.  Not now.  Not ever.  

"I wonder if Madame Pomfrey would let you come outside, Hermione.  We have a lot to talk about and I don't really think that the Hospital Wing is the best place for what has to be said."  Ron looked around for Madame Pomfrey, but there was no one in the Wing.  

"Huh.  Well, I'm going to go look for her.  Maybe I'll ask Professor Dumbledore, he should be…" Ron walked off, still mumbling to himself.

Which left Harry and Hermione together.  Alone.

"Hermione.  I'm so sorry.  I didn't, I COULDN'T know.  If I had, I would have come for you immediately.  I…"

Hermione shook her head and hugged him again.

"I know you would have.  But you did the right thing.  There are other people, other things out there that are more important than me.  I know that.  It was just, you know, not having my friends around to help me through this."

"Not to me there's not.  You're the most important person to me.  You and Ron.  You're my family.  I'm so sorry.  Can you forgive me?  I mean, I'll understand if you don't, and that's ok, because you have every right to hate me, at least after what I said, and what I did and, and…and…Hermione?  Don't cry!  Oh Hermione.  That's all I ever seem to make you do.  Maybe it'd be better if I…"

Harry made to pull away from her, but she grasped him tighter, buried her head in his chest and whimpered.  

Muffled, but still clear, Harry could hear her words,

"If you leave now, I'll never forgive you.  I need you Harry.  I need someone to help me through this.  Please?  Don't leave me.  Not again.  Please…"

Mumbling his agreement, he hugged Hermione.  'Oh Hermione…What did they do to you.  This isn't like you.'

"I'll never leave you.  I'll always be there for you.  I swear." 

"Hey guys!  I got permission from Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey!  We can…oh…uh…sorry guys I'll just…"

Ron.  The Master of Timing.  He blushed and turned around, about to leave when two voices called out to him.

"No, Ron.  Just…give us a few seconds to get ready."

"Don't leave Ron.  You're a part of this group whether you like it or not.  And besides, you're the one who started this.  You've got to be there when it's finished."

Ron grinned and turned back around.  He walked over to Hermione's bed and gathered her things up.

"Alright, Alright, I got it.  Don't leave.  I won't.  Don't worry. C'mon.  Let's go out to the lake.  We'll talk there."

Harry helped Hermione off the bed, and gathering his cloak the three of them left the Hospital Wing heading for the lake.

The three ran into Draco on their way out.  Surprisingly, Draco fell into step with them, and none of them had any complaints.  They all knew that Draco was involved, and that he had his own side to the story.  Reaching the lake, the moved to sit on the grass, under the stars.

"When I was captured, they didn't do anything to me initially.  They stunned me and when I came to, I was in Voldemort's Throne Room, such that it was."

**Flashback**

"Well, well, well…what do we have here?  A filthy little mudblood."  Voldemort sneered and turned to her captors.

_        "Why did you bring trash such as this into my presence.  Kill her and be done with it!"  _

_        "My lord, this is no ordinary mudblood.  Her name is Hermione Granger.  She's one of Potter's friends.  Perhaps more than a friend.  If he has a weakness, it's her."  _

_Voldemort rose and approached Hermione.  With one cold, pale hand, he grasped her hair and yanked her to her feet._

_        "Ahhh…So it is.  Well, this IS a surprise.  Potter doesn't know how to protect his own hmm?  Well, we'll make sure he never forgets to do so.  Throw her in the dungeons.  I shall ask her questions tomorrow."_

_        Hermione was thrown in a dark, cold and moldy chamber.  Three sets of chains were attached to the wall but only one set was free.  The other two had bodies hanging from them.  Her captors chained her to the wall and left.  She remained there for what seemed like days, with nothing but the darkness around her.  A feeling of coldness swept through her body and the warmth was sucked out of her as something walked by._

_        'Dementors?' She thought, 'Why are there dementors here?  They're supposed to be guarding Azkaban!  NO!  That means…'  She never got to finish her thought as Voldemort swept into the room, followed by three Death Eaters.  One was holding something coiled in his hand.  _

_        "Good morning mudblood.  We're going to start now.  I'm going to ask you a question, and every time  you refuse to answer…"  He gestured to the man with the coil behind him and without warning she screamed.  When she looked down, her robes, and the shirt underneath, were torn.  And long slash had creased its way across her belly._

_        "You'll be tortured.  And we're going to do this the old fashioned way.  Magic is too good for an impure, filthy, no good mudblood like you.  And I intend for Potter to find your corpse, with all its scars, as a reminder of how he failed.  Now.  First question.  Where is the Order of the Phoenix based?"_

_        Hermione raised her head and glared._

_        "What Order of the Phoenix?  I don't…"  Her retort was cut short as another lash burned its way across her skin.  _

_        Voldemort sneered.  _

_        "Again.  Where is the Order of the Phoenix based?  I know they have a base and I want to know where it is!"_

_        Hermione raised her head again and spat._

_        "I'm not going to tell you anything, so you might as well kill me now.  And Harry's going to defeat you.  He's going to kill you.  I KNOW he will.  You'll be defeated by him, and your reign of terror will be cut sho…"  She screamed again as the whip lashed her twice.  _

_        "Shut your mouth mudblood.  This is Lord Voldemort!  He cannot be defeated, especially by that mockery of a wizard, Potter!"_

_For 2 more days Hermione was tortured and pumped for information.  She remained strong though, using her belief that Harry would arrive any minute with Dumbledore and the Aurors to rescue her._

_He never came._

_Voldemort gave instructions that when Hermione lost consciousnessthe body was to be thrown out in the swamp to rot._

_Eventually, all that could be heard was laughter and the sound of a whip._

_Her body was tossed out, battered, broken and bleeding._

_She lay there for what seemed an eternity.  She was dying.  She knew this and cried.  Eventually she passed out._

_A form approached, wearing a black cloak, the cloak of a death eater.  _

_"Granger?  Are you alive?  GRANGER!"_

_'Malfoy…what?'  Hermione awoke to the yell, and opened her eyes._

_"oh thank god.  Professor!  I found her!  She's alive!  PROFESSOR!"_

_Another form approached and Hermione looked up into the face of Severus Snape.  _

_"Miss Granger.  I believe you are need of a doctor.  Mr. Malfoy, if you would be so kind as to carry her…"_

_Draco nodded, and picked her up.  Hermione tried to struggle but gave up almost immediately when Draco spoke._

_"Easy, there Hermione.  I'm not going to hurt you anymore.  Don't worry.  We'll get you to St. Mungo's as soon as possible."_

_"Har..ry…?" she croaked.  _

_"He's not here.  I'm sure he'll visit you though.  Hang on."_

_With a crack Severus Snape apparated all three of them to St. Mungo's._

**End Flashback**

        "That's what happened.  I woke up two days later in a hospital bed.  The doctors came in and told me what had happened and who had rescued me.  That's when Dumbledore came in."  she trailed off at the look in Harry's eye.  

        "Dumbledore knew?  Dumbledore KNEW!  AND HE DIDN'T TELL ME!?  I'LL KILL HIM!"  Harry screamed in frustration.  'How could he keep something like this from me?!  HOW COULD HE NOT TELL ME!'

        "Weasley?  You ok?  You look a little…green."

        Ron looked like he was about to throw up.  He opened his mouth to speak but immediately threw a hand over his mouth and ran over to the lake.  

        "Well.  Weasley's out of it for a while.  I found her in a swamp in a right state.  I took her to St. Mungo's and you know what happened from there.  You're going to be ok though, right Hermione?"  Draco looked concerned but that was replaced by a look of relief when she nodded.  

        "Thank you."

        The words startled Draco.  Potter, THANKING him?  Where was he?  

        "Uh…you're welcome."

        Ron had walked back over, still slightly green.  

        "Hey, Weasley.  You alright?"

        "Yeah Ron, you're looking a bit peaked."

        Ron did a double take.  Harry and MALFOY joining forces to tease HIM?!  WHERE WAS HE!?

        "uh…yeah…I'll be alright.  WHAT ARE YOU LAUGHING AT!?  HERMIONE!  AHHH!! You're all against me."

        The three…FOUR of them sat under the stars for a while after that, talking, reminiscing, and laughing.

        Albus Dumbledore looked out the window in his office and smiled.  

Things were returning to normal.  But he knew that this was the calm before the storm.  

        Somewhere in his fortress, Voldemort laughed.

A/N:  The flashback scene was the hardest thing I've ever had to write.  I got sick while I was writing it.  God, what the hell is wrong with me.  Hope you enjoyed this one, a new one will be coming soon.  I hope.


	4. Sighs Chapter 4

Sighs

Chapter 4

A/N: Short Chapter.  The Lavender situation is addressed.  Draco's not an asshole.  Well…not COMPLETELY.  But still.  After this it's on to Voldemort.  I hope.  I'm kinda worried about the Battle scene that's coming…woops!  Gave too much away!    but, no, seriously, I'm not too good with all the spells and curses and the like, so any advice, spellings, uses, etc would be appreciated. 

Thanks in advance.

Warnings: None.  At least, I don't think there're any.   

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.  I also don't own any other characters from the books.  Those belong to J.K.R. and her wonderful imagination. 

Now.  On to the story.

          Harry, Ron, Hermione and Draco burst into the Gryffindor Common Room laughing.  The laughter stopped immediately when they saw what was awaiting them.  Well…one of them.

          "HARRY!"

Lavender. 

          Hermione paled and Ron scowled.

          "Oh joy of all joys," Ron muttered, "Just what we need."

          Harry took his arm off Hermione's shoulder and straightened.

          "Where have you been?!  I've been looking all over for you!  I was so worried!  Where…WERE YOU WITH HER?!"  Lavender shrilled, pointing at Hermione, "I'M YOUR GIRLFRIEND AND YOU HARDLY SPEND ANY TIME WITH ME ANYMORE!  AND YOU!" she screamed, turning to Hermione, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING TRYING TO STEAL HARRY FROM ME!?"

          Lavender cut off here, breathing heavily.  Harry took this as a sign to cut in.

          "Lavender, easy!  We were out at the lake, me, Ron, Hermione and Draco.  We had some issues to resolve.  No one's stealing anything from you.  Calm down…"

          "Yes, Lavender.  Calm yourself before you ruin your complexion.  We wouldn't want that now would we?"

          Draco Malfoy is god.  Ron doubled over with laughter and Hermione giggled.  Again.  Even Harry had to work to keep a straight face. 

          Lavender looked furious.  "YOU BROUGHT THAT INTO OUR COMMON ROOM?!"

          "I resent that.  Now.  Stop screaming and calm down.  You're hurting my ears.  Or is that the point?"

          Lavender was no longer lavender.  She was a tomato.  Maybe a firecracker would be a better description.

          "OOOOOHHH!!! HARRY!! WHY AREN'T YOU DEFENDING ME?!  HE'S INSULTING ME AND…AND…AND…STOP LAUGHING!"

          "Sorry Lavender, but he DOES have a point.  You are yelling rather loudly."  Lavender made a move as if to smack him, but Harry dodged backward. "Draco, just, DRACO!  STOP LAUGHING!  And don't say another word.  I'll handle this."

          "Oh yes.  You'll HANDLE it."  Ron grinned.  Draco made gagging noises.  Hermione giggled.

          Lavender puffed up and looked to start on another tirade.

          "NO!  Look, Lavender, let's go somewhere and discuss this, okay?  ALONE, you three."  He grabbed her hand and dragged her out of the Common Room. 

          Ron, Hermione, and Draco looked at each other and started laughing again.

          "So.  This is the Gryffindor Common Room.  A bit too…BRIGHT for my tastes, but it's homey.  Certainly warmer than the Slytherin one.  Hey Weasley, I challenge you to wizards chess!"

          Ron grinned and Hermione groaned.

          "If you two are going to posture with that game, I'M going to get my books and study."

          "Yeah, yeah, come on Malfoy, I'll put you in your place!"

          "BRING IT ON!"

          Harry had dealt with girls before, after all, he'd had a short lived relationship (if you could call it that) with Cho, and of course Hermione was always around, but never had he experienced the likes of Natural Disaster Lavender. 

          "YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE PAYING ATTENTION TO ME!  YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO GO GALLIVANTING AROUND WITH OTHER GIRLS, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE CHEATING ON ME!  I'M YOUR GIRLFRIEND!  YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BUY ME STUFF AND TAKE ME PLACES!  YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO RUN OUT ON ME!  WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT HARRY?  YOU DON'T LOVE ME ANYMORE!" With that, Lavender burst out in tears. 

          Harry looked, well…he looked scared.  After all, it's quite a shock to be yelled at one second and then have a crying girl in front of you the next.  It's a switch that no male has learned to deal with effectively. 

          "Lavender, don't cry.  Come on, it's not THAT bad.  I'm sorry I haven't been spending a lot of time with you, but, Hermione went through something terrible and she needed all the friends she could get!  I promise I'll spend more time with you.  And I still like you a lot.  Don't cry!  Please!"  This seemed to do the trick as Lavender sniffed and wiped at her eyes.

          "So what were you REALLY doing with Hermione?  And tell me the truth!  Are you cheating on me?!"

          Harry sighed.

          "NO.  I'm NOT CHEATING ON YOU.  I was out by the lake with Hermione, Ron and Draco.  We had some things to talk about.  That's ALL we did.  We talked and then we hugged.  All FOUR of us.  I wouldn't cheat on you."

          Lavender still looked skeptical but nodded and grabbed his hand.

          "Let's go back to the Common Room.  It's late and I need to get my beauty rest."

          With that said, Lavender dragged Harry back to the Common Room where Draco and Ron were engaged in a VICIOUS game of Wizard's Chess, and from the look on Ron's face, he wasn't doing too well.  Hermione was, as usually, studying.  All three looked up when Lavender dragged Harry into the room.

          "I'm going to get some sleep.  I'll see you tomorrow morning okay, Harry?"

          He nodded and without warning she kissed him and ran up the stairs.  When Harry turned around, Hermione's face was behind a book, but Ron and Draco were both scowling at him.

          "What?"  Harry asked, "Do I have lipstick on my face?  What is it?"

          Ron and Draco looked at each other and went back to their game.  Hermione was unresponsive and Harry sighed again.

          "Fine.  Yeesh.  Back to the way things were.  I'm going to bed.  I'll see you all in the morning.  Don't stay up to late."

          With that Harry marched up the stairs to his room.

He didn't notice Ron and Draco scowl and throw scathing glances his way.

          He didn't notice Hermione crying behind her book. 

A/N: Short I know.  There'll be a longer one next time.  And this is my first attempt at writing any sort of extended light-hearted scene.  I'm better at the angst, I know.  Keep up the reviews and I'll keep up the writing!  But the chapters will be slowing down though, cause I have school.  My birthday's also coming up so I have to plan for that.  It's on May 5th if anyone cares.  CINCO DE MAYO!  WOOT! 


	5. Sighs Chapter 5

Sighs

Chapter 5

A/N:  Wow.  Chapter 5.  Longest thing I've ever written.  And it's going to be longer still.

Birthday's coming up, getting a new computer.  Yay! 

Warnings:  None.  Well.  Angst galore.  A little bit of language.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.  I also don't own any other characters from the books.  Those belong to J.K.R. and her wonderful imagination. 

Now.  On to the story.

Ron and Draco looked at each other and sighed.  Both were in complete agreement:

Harry Potter is a flaming IDIOT.

Ron looked over at Hermione and sighed.  'Dammit Harry!  Why can't you see what you're doing to her? And they call ME dense.  HA!  I've got nothing on Harry.  Four bloody years and STILL nothing between them.  BAH!'

Draco looked over at Hermione and sighed.  'Stupid, useless, good for nothing POTTER!  He's got everything he's ever wanted RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIS NOSE AND, AND…BAH!  Hey!'

"Checkmate!  HA!  You suck Weasley!"

"WHAT?!"

Ron looked down at the board.  Sure enough, a rook was demolishing his king. 

"DAMN YOU HARRY!  I LOST TO A MALFOY!"

Malfoy smirked.

Ron's fist hit Malfoy's smirk again.

Malfoy's smirk won.

"Are you two done?"  Hermione whispered.  "If you are, you should get to bed.  Draco, you should head back to your dorm.  You too Ron.  I'm going to bed."

With that said, Hermione trudged up the stairs her head down and her feet heavy.  Ron and Draco looked on as she disappeared. 

"Well, I've got to get going.  They're sure to miss my sparkling presence in the Slytherin Common Room.  See you around Weasley.  Good game."

"Right.  I'll beat you next time.  I was distracted."

Draco walked out the portrait hole and Ron was alone.  Well…not completely alone.

"Ron!"

The whisper came from nowhere and Ron whipped out his wand.

"Whoa! Easy mate, it's me!  Harry!"

Harry appeared out of thin air as he whipped off the Invisibility Cloak.  

"HARRY!  You scared the bejeezus out of me.  What are you doing down here, with your cloak?!"

"I needed to talk to you, alone.  I don't think Malfoy would have left if he saw me coming down the stairs.  He's been meaning to yell at me for a while.  I'm not in the mood right now.  I need to talk to you, but not here."

Ron shrugged and got under the cloak.  Together they walked to the North Tower. 

When they reached it, Harry pulled off the cloak and spoke.

"Look.  Something's wrong with Hermione.  I don't know what it is, but it's been bothering me for a few days.  She doesn't speak as much, and yesterday was the first time I've heard her laugh in a long time."

Maybe Harry wasn't as dense as Ron thought. 

"I mean, I know she fancies you, but you have a girlfriend.  It's not because of that is it?"

Okay.  Maybe he was.

Time for megaphone that is Ron Weasley.

"HARRY YOU GREAT PRAT!"

With that said, Ron smacked Harry on the back of the head.

"HERMIONE DOES NOT FANCY ME!  I'VE GOT LUNA AND SHE'S FINE WITH THAT!  SHE FANCIES SOMEONE ELSE!"

"RON!  Keep it down!  Filch'll hear and then we'll have detention!  Maybe she fancies Malfoy."

Ron gagged.  Hermione with Malfoy?  Ewwww…

"NO.  She does NOT fancy Malfoy.  I know this for a fact.  You know what?  I don't care if Hermione hexes me for the rest of my life for this, it needs to be said.  SHE FANCIES YOU!  SHE ALWAYS HAS AND SHE ALWAYS WILL!  WHEN WILL YOU PULL YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR ARSE LONG ENOUGH TO NOTICE!?"

That being said, Ron's duty was done.  Sure, he had betrayed a friend, but it was for a good cause.  It was for love!  And his nerves.  But mostly for love!

Meanwhile, Harry was doing a rather good impression of a fish. 

"Me?  ME?  WHAT?!"

"I don't know WHY, for the life of me.  YOU'RE the one who had to go RUNNING to Lavender, and immediately start sucking face.  She broke up with you for a reason.  Did you ever stop to ASK the reason?  Or were you too focused on the fact that you no longer had to answer to anyone?"

"That's not fair.  She never TOLD me the reason.  And I did not go running to Lavender.  I walked.  And it took a while for me and her to get together."

Ron scoffed, "Oh yes.  All of a WEEK.  Do you want to know WHY she broke up with you?"

Harry scowled. "Pray tell."

"She broke up with you because she didn't think she was good enough for you."

Harry and Ron whipped around so fast their necks cracked.

Ginny. 

"It's KILLING HER to see you with Lavender, Harry.  And you're to busy sucking up and sucking face to notice.  THAT'S why she doesn't laugh anymore.  THAT'S why she hasn't been herself.  Because YOU'RE too busy to be her friend."

Harry, again, could have been mistaken for a fish.

Ron sighed.

"Finally."

"WHAT?  Why would she think THAT?!  She's TOO good for me!  Who told her she wasn't good enough?!  WAS IT LAVENDER?!  THAT…"

"NO, Harry.  It wasn't Lavender.  And no one had to tell her.  She figured it out on her own.  You weren't spending any time with her anymore, you hardly ever kissed, or hugged or anything.  You didn't buy her flowers ONCE.  And not once did she hear the words, 'I love you', come from your lips.  What was she supposed to think?"

"I didn't think she needed all of those things.  I mean, I loved her, I thought she knew that!"

"She's a GIRL Harry.  We like to hear those things.  Men may think it's weird, but we like to hear verbal affirmation of affection."

Harry looked confused.

Ginny sighed.

"Words, Harry.  Flowers.  Letters.  Random presents.  DATES for god sakes.  The words 'I love you'.  We need these things.  Believe it or not, we're very sensitive creatures.  And Hermione may seem like a know-it-all, but when it comes to love, she's as inexperienced and unsure as you are.  Did you ever take her out for a date.  AND NOT A TRIP TO HOGSMEADE WITH RON AND ME.  Just the two of you.  Did you?  I didn't think so."

Harry looked shocked.

Ron looked pleased.  His sister was doing what he and Malfoy together, couldn't do.  He was rather frightened though, because Ginny was doing a very good impression of their mother. 

Harry opened his mouth to respond but nothing came out. 

Ginny scowled.

"Well?  I'm waiting to hear you defend yourself.  If silence is al I hear, then it means that I'm right, and you've been an arse."

Harry glared at Ginny.

"I didn't know that!  We're MALE for crying out loud.  We're DENSE."  At this, Ron squeaked out a protest. "Ron, you KNOW we are.  You especially.  We don't know everything, and when it comes to women we are utterly LOST.  You mean that girls like to hear all those things, and do all those things, but never tell us?  We're just supposed to assume that we're to be sappy cuddly teddy bears?  That's not how it works Ginny.  Whoever told you that is a moron.  We CAN'T know all that."

"Harry.  She was your GIRLFRIEND.  What do you think that entails?  Free sex with no strings?  NO!  SHE LOVED YOU!  IF YOU'D PAY ATTENTION, YOU'D KNOW THAT SHE STILL LOVES YOU.  SHE WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU."

"You know, Hermione and I, we never…you know."

"That's not the point!  The point is that you had exactly what you wanted right in front of you and you tossed it away because you were a dense, stupid, oblivious MORON.  You say that all you want is a family?  A place to call home?  You HAD that.  It was Hermione!  She's all the family you'll ever need!  She's the only HOME you'll ever need.  We Weasley's?  We're your family too, but not like Hermione.  You'll always have a place with us, but YOUR place, where YOU belong, is with HER.  Everyone around you can see it.  Why can't you?"

"She wanted more than I had to give.  She wanted my heart and I can't give that to ANYONE."

"Bullshit."

Harry turned and stared at Ron. "What did you say?"

"You heard me.  That's the biggest load of crap I have ever heard.  Why can't you give that to anyone?  Because you'll get hurt?  WHAT DO YO THINK HERMIONE DID?  LOCKED HER'S AWAY IN A LEAD BOX SO NO ONE COULD TOUCH IT?!  NO!  She gave it to you!  She gave it to you, and when she got it back, it was in a million pieces.  You think you got hurt?  Hermione had to have a relationship with someone who refused to try.  I think she would have been better off with Malfoy than the you right now."

"Ron, what right do you have to speak?  You HAVE a girlfriend.  You'll have a huge family, and…"

"I HAVE a girlfriend because I tell her that I love her.  Because I come up and hug her whenever I can.  Because I buy her flowers and write her letters.  Because I TRY to have a relationship.  You?  You sat back and watched it die.  You didn't even FIGHT to save it."

Harry looked stricken.  But then his expression changed. 

"She said some horrible things!  I would have saved her if I knew!  And that comment about Sirius…"

"She didn't MEAN it Harry.  You know that!  And she knows you would have been there.  She didn't mean any of it!  Hermione's too, too…HERMIONE, to say anything like that and MEAN it!  You're running out of excuses."

Ginny Death Glared Harry.  Which was the last straw.

"FINE!  Fine.  What am I supposed to do now?  I'm with Lavender, and Hermione probably hates me right now.  So WHAT am I supposed to do?  Oh geniuses.  Tell me."

"Okay.  Now we're getting somewhere."  Ginny sat down next to Harry, "First off, she doesn't hate you.  It's very hard to hate the one you love.  Secondly, Break up with Lavender."  Harry looked like he wanted to protest, but Ginny covered his mouth with her hand.  "I know that you don't like hurting people, at least not overtly, but this is one of those times where you're going to have to.  Just tell her that it's not going where you were hoping, and that you weren't really into it.  In fact, you can probably tell her it was a rebound thing.  I hope you have a hard cheek, because it's going to get slapped."

Harry grimaced and nodded, "Then what?"

Ron spoke up.

"THEN you're going to go to wherever Hermione is and apologize.  Grovel.  Beg.  Bring flowers, chocolate and a very nice piece of jewelry.  Also, try to make yourself look neat.  WHAT?  Why are you looking at me like that?  It's what I do when Luna gets angry with me!  It works!"

Harry closed his mouth and nodded, almost disbelievingly.  RON WEASLEY, giving HIM tips on women?  What kind of parallel universe had he stepped into?

"Good.  Now.  You'll need your sleep.  And besides, it's awfully late."

"Wait, wait.  Tomorrow we have classes.  Potions and DADA.  When should I do it?"

"Do it at dinner.  In the Great Hall.  In front of the whole school."

"RONALD WEASLEY!  Don't plot to embarrass your friend.  Do it after dinner in the common room.  Less people then."

Harry grinned at Ron's expression, and nodded.

"Thanks Ginny.  I guess I really did need some sense beaten into me.  Thanks for everything."

Harry gave Ginny a hug, and swatted Ron on the arm.

"Ron, your mom's not going to pop up anywhere.  Stop looking so scared."

Ron shook himself and grinned.

"Good.  Now that THAT'S resolved, I can finally get some peace and quiet.  Luna's been bothering me for days about this.  Yeesh."

With that, the three Gryffindors huddled under the invisibility Cloak and headed back to the Common Rooms.

Hermione had stopped crying, sleep had taken her at last.

Peace reigned in the night at Hogwarts.

A/N:  Okay.  So not too much angst.  Things are coming together.  Lavender will be in the next chapter, so this is a warning.  I may have her trip and fall.  I've decided that Malfoy will NOT be in a relationship with Lavender.  Ginny's a MUCH better match.  Besides.  I'm not THAT evil.  Right?  Right?  HEY! Where'd everyone go?!


	6. Sighs Chapter 6

Sighs

Chapter 6

A/N: Sorry it took so long for me to write this.  Had a bunch of things I needed to do.  It also seems like I can only write at night.  Stupid body, screwing me over.  BAH!  Well.  What to expect from this chapter.  Harry uses that famous Gryffindor courage.  He'll need it, cause angry females are scary.  I know, I live with two. 

Warnings:  Harry gets slapped.  Multiple times.  Language I suppose.

Disclaimer: I Do NOT, read: DO NOT, own ANYTHING.  Least of all Any of the Harry potter characters.  if i did, well...I'd own a lot more than that.  please don't sue me?  please?  I'll be your friend!  Right.  Like JKR would want me for a friend.  HA!

Now.  On to the story.

Harry's day began with Double Potions.  Joy of joys.  Hours of Snape taking points away from Gryffindor.  Hours of contemplating how to break up with Lavender and not get killed..

Harry was not having a good day.  And it had just begun. 

"Mr. Potter.  It would be wise of you to pay attention in my class.  If you had, you would see that your potion is purple.  It is supposed to be green.  20 points from Gryffindor, for you lack of attention, AND for brewing something completely useless."

          With a quick "_Scourgify!"_ Harry's cauldron was clean, and he received no points for the day.  The rest of the lesson he paid attention half-heartedly and tried not to lose anymore points.

          "I hate Snape.  I absobloodylutely HATE him.  I can't believe he did that to me AGAIN!"  Harry was fuming.  After storming out of the Potions dungeon (it was a dungeon.  Not a classroom.) he slammed his fist into the wall. "Ow."

          "I know mate, I know.  If I didn't think I'd get expelled, I'd do something about it."  Ron grinned at Harry sympathetically, thumped him on the back and continued walking, "Just don't go around punching walls.  It's not good for your hand."

          "You know Harry, if you..."

          Harry cut her off,

          "Don't you DARE launch into another lecture of how it was all my fault and that if I had been paying better attention, blah, blah, blah.  I KNOW that.  It's not my fault I have a lot of other things on my mind.  Snape has his MASTER to blame, or thank, for that."  Harry sighed, "I know you mean well, but still.  I have a lot of stuff to do today, not all of which is paying attention in a class that I know I won't do well in."

          Hermione bit her lip and looked away. 

          "Oh come on...I didn't...Hermione...I didn't mean it like that.  I'm just frustrated you know?  I have DOUBLE potions, and then I have to break up with La..."  He trailed off as he saw Hermione shake her head vigorously and then let it drop.

          Harry turned around, praying that what he thought she was looking at wasn't what he thought. 

          Harry Potter was having a VERY bad day.

SLAP

          "You ARROGANT PRICK!  HOW DARE YOU!?  IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HALLWAY!  YOU COULDN'T EVEN WAIT UNTIL WE WERE ALONE TO SAY THAT!"

SLAP

          Holding a hand to his stinging cheek, Harry started after Lavender as she sped off. 

          Hermione burst into giggles.

          "LAVENDER!  WOULD YOU SLOW DOWN?!  WAIT UP!"  Harry ran after Lavender.  'Man.  Girls are fast when they're angry.'

          "LAVENDER!"

          Lavender spun around, glared and Harry skidded to a stop in front of her, panting. 

SLAP

          "OW!  WOULD YOU PLEASE STOP DOING THAT!  It HURTS you know?"

          "It's supposed to hurt Harry.  After all, I can't hurt you the way you just hurt me, so that will have to do."  Lavender made as if to slap him again, but Harry caught her wrist in his hand.

          "Look.  It wasn't supposed to happen like that.  I had it all planned out, WHOA!"  Harry ducked as her other hand came around.  With reflexes trained from years of catching things small and moving fast, he snatched her hand out of mid-air and held both in front of him.

          "I know I'm an idiot, and I know that you PROBABLY hate me more than you'll ever hate Voldemort right now, but you have to hear this, okay?  No more slapping me."

          Lavender sniffed and nodded, sliding down the wall to plop down on the floor.

          "Okay.  Now.  Here's how it was supposed to go.  Lavender, you're a wonderful person.  Really.  You're always so optimistic and cheery, it's hard to be gloomy around you.  That's a good thing!  These past few weeks, they've been great.  But I, well, I guess what I'm trying to say here, is that, I love you like a friend.  I hope that we can still BE friends, because everyone needs someone to cheer them up, but I'd understand if you wanted to hate me for the rest of your life.  Or mine, however long that will be.  I wouldn't blame you.  But...do you know why Hermione and I broke up?"

          Lavender shook her head.  Harry sighed.

          "That's the weird thing.  Neither do I.  I mean, it was like, one minute we're fine, we're together, and then next, nothing."

          Lavender gave him a look that clearly stated that she thought he was nutters.

          "Don't look at me like that.  It's weird, I know.  But that's how it was.  I realized, just the other day, and I'm sorry for this, but I've never really fallen OUT of love with Hermione.  It was just the fact that I wasn't with her anymore.  It was confusing.  And it hurt like hell.  I just, I wanted to get past the pain.  To forget how much it hurt.  And I'm sorry that I chose you.  You deserve better than me, someone who loves you, period."

          Lavender was still giving him the look of utter disbelief.

          "So what you're telling me is that this WHOLE time, you've been in love with another woman.  You USED me to get over Hermione, and you couldn't even do THAT properly?  HOW DARE YOU!?"

          "LAVENDER.  Look, it's over.  I don't love you, and I think, you don't really love me either."

          "Harry!  How could you say that?  I love you!  I do!"

          Harry shook his head,

          "No, I don't think you do.  I think you're in love with the IDEA of me.  With Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived.  I'm not mad at you for it, and I understand that, but that's NOT what I'm looking for in a relationship.  I want someone who loves me for HARRY.  For me, not for the scar."

          Lavender teared up and sniffled.

          "That's NOT going to work.  Yes, I used you, and YES I didn't pull it off well, but it's over.  I can't keep doing this.  I can't keep living a lie!  It's killing me inside, and it's hurting my other friends.  You can't expect me to not go anywhere with Hermione, just because she's a girl!"

          Lavender started bawling.

          "Oh for crying out loud.  STOP CRYING.  I'm not going to keep going out with you just because you're crying!  I've had experience with girls who cry all the time, and believe you me, it's not a turn on."

          Fountain Lavender shut off and turned into Hurricane Lavender.

          "So that's it huh?  A month and that's it.  You trick me and use me and the drop me just like that?  You're no better than, than, MALFOY!  And you're dropping me for HERMIONE?  I'm ten times the woman that she'll EVER BE!  You'll come crawling back, on your hands an..."

          Lavender trailed off as the air around Harry started to crackle.  He was glowing green and if looks could kill, she'd be deader than Sir Nick.

          "Hermione is a MILLION times the woman that you are.  Insult me, call me names, berate me all you like, but if I EVER hear another bad thing about Hermione come out of your mouth, they'll be picking up pieces of you 100 years from now.  It's over Lavender.  Deal with it."

          With that, Harry stormed off, the energy abating.

          "Oh.  And one more thing.  If I catch you trying to break us up, or undermining my efforts to get Hermione back, there won't be pieces LEFT to pick up."

          Harry smirked and swept off.

          Lavender was speechless.  For the moment.

          "Well.  That was fun, don't you think?"

          Malfoy.

          With his arm around Ginny Weasley.

          Wait. 

          "GINNY?!  WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?  WITH HIM!?"

          "Lavender.  Calm down.  You're going to burst a vessel.  You didn't know?  Hm.  Most of Gryffindor knows."

          "Yes, Lavender, I like Ginny Weasley.  Is that such a hard concept to grasp?  And close your mouth before you start catching flies."

          Lavender's mouth snapped shut faster than you can say ferret.

          "Oh.  And if WE catch you messing with Potter or Granger, well there won't be much left for Harry.  Have a nice day!"

          With that, Draco and Ginny walked off laughing.

          Lavender Brown was having a VERY bad day.

A/N:  Chapter 6.  Finally.  I don't know how happy I am with it though, considering that it's 4 in the morning.  I'll probably rewrite it later.  I have just one thing to say.

Go Harry.


	7. Sighs Chapter 7

Sighs

Chapter 7

A/N: Well.  I had a burst of inspiration.  Thank you for the reviews.  I wasn't too sure what I wrote last night…two nights ago, but apparently it was good.  Don't worry.  Harry gets his.

Warnings: ANGST.  LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS AND…you get the picture.

Harry's a moron.  And now he's going to PAY for being a moron.

Now.  On to the story.

Harry Potter stormed off.  'How DARE SHE?!  Hermione's WAY better than Lavender can ever HOPE to be!  I swear…' He was furious.  But now he understood why he was furious. 

Let it be said that Harry Potter wasn't the densest male to walk the planet.

Let it also be said that Harry Potter had to mend some fences.

'I hope Hermione's not going to be too mad at me.  My cheek hurts from all the slapping.' 

As Harry entered the Gryffindor Common Room, he was greeted by silence and stares. 

"Did someone die…" Harry trailed off as he saw the stares.  And the glares.  Even Ron was shaking his head. 

"What?  What did I do?  You were all hoping I'd pull my head out of my arse, and now that I've done it, you're going to condemn me for it?"

Ron walked over to Harry and, without warning, punched him in the face.

"Ron!  WHAT?!  WH…"

"Harry, shut your face.  Lavender told us what you did.  How could you?!"

Realization dawned.

"And exactly what did she tell you?  That I slept with her?  That I slapped her?  That I broke up with her because I was a moron?"

"No.  She told us how you used her.  And that you think that she's useless and stupid and annoying.  It makes me wonder just what you think of me."  Ron finished this with a glare.  "She told us the truth, Harry.  Nothing more, nothing less."

"Right.  HER truth maybe.  I never said that.  Well…YOU said she was an airhead, and I SORT OF agreed with you.  And you know what I think of you Ron.  You KNOW.  I've told you a million times; you're the brother I never had.  That I wish I could have had growing up.  And now you choose to doubt me, just because my EX-girlfriend decides she wants to badmouth me?"

"Harry.  Did you use Lavender to get back at Hermione?  DID YOU?"

"…"

"HARRY!  ANSWER ME DAMMIT?!  DID YOU OR DIDN'T YOU!?  WELL?  WHICH ONE?!"

"…maybe.  No.  Yes.  OKAY! FINE!  GOD DAMMIT TO HELL!  YOU PEOPLE, RON, ALL OF YOU, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!"

"Right.  So there we are.  Did you use me too?  And Ginny?  And every other person you've 'befriended'?"

"WHAT?  Ron!  You don't understand!"

"Then why don't you explain, Harry?  Hmm?  Or can you?  I don't think you can!  THAT'S why you can't defend yourself, BECAUSE IT'S TRUE!"

"LAVENDER!  SHUT YOUR GODDAMN MOUTH!  I'M FUCKING SICK AND TIRED OF HEARING YOU SPEAK!  ALL THAT EVER COMES OUT IS COMPLETE BULLSHIT!"

Lavender's mouth snapped shut so fast, her teeth clacked audibly.

"YOU WANT A BLOODY EXPLANATION?  FINE!  SHE BROKE MY GODDAMN HEART, AND DIDN'T GIVE ME A REASON!  SHE LEFT ME, AND DIDN'T TELL ME WHY!  THAT'S WHY I 'USED' LAVENDER!  BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING LEFT!"

Harry was gasping for breath at the end of that.  Everyone else had backed away.  Harry was glowing green again, and this time the glow of his eyes matched the aura surrounding him.

"She didn't even say goodbye Ron.  It was just…over.  And I was supposed to accept it."

"She did give you a reason!  She had to!  This is Hermione we're talking about!  She never does anything without a reason!"

"No.  You're right.  She DID give me a reason."

Ron gestured for Harry to continue,

"She broke up with me because I didn't come to save her.  Because I failed her, like I failed Sirius.  Because I was too slow, and too stupid.  THAT'S why, Ron.  Because I wasn't who she thought I was."

The entire common room was as silent as a graveyard. 

"But you would have come if you'd known!  You would have!  She knows that!  You've SAID that!  I don't get it!  How could someone so smart be so stupid!?"

"I don't deserve her Ron.  I don't.  And don't say I do, because I don't.  I failed her, when every other time, she's saved me.  She's come to my rescue, to my aid, so many times, and the ONE time she needed ME, I wasn't there.  What kind of boyfriend does that?"

"YOU DIDN'T KNOW!  THAT'S NOT FAIR TO SAY!  YOU LOVE HER DAMMIT!  THAT'S ENOUGH!"

"Ron.  You of all people should know by now.  Sometimes, Love isn't enough.  Sometimes, the Hero doesn't win.  Sometimes, David gets the crap kicked out of him by Goliath.  And sometimes, the right guy doesn't get the girl."

"Harry."

Ginny.  Hopefully to the rescue.

"Harry, she loves you.  She may be mad at you, but she still loves you.  And I think that everyone here will agree with me.  And you DO deserve her.  I can think of no one else who would deserve happiness and peace, and love, more than you.  She's it for you.  And if you don't, if you…if you fail her now…"

"Ginny.  I…"

"No, Harry.  You're wrong!  I know you're wrong, because love, especially now, is all that we have.  It's the thing that's keeping You-Know-Who away.  It's love that kept you alive as a baby.  It's love that gives everyone hope!  Our love for you, our faith, born out of that love, IN you, to change things.  To bring the peace that we so desperately need."

"I'm going to die."

"Everyone dies Harry.  It's how you live that matters."

"No.  You don't understand.  I'm going to die, or I'm going to become a murderer.  I have to.  And Hermione deserves better than that."

"What?  I don't understand.  What are you talking about?"

"Ginny, The 'weapon' that Voldemort was looking for?  It was a prophecy.  It foretold Voldemort downfall.  It said that he would Mark the child born as the seventh month dies as his equal and that this marked person would either kill him or be killed by him.  So you see?  I'd become a murderer or be killed.  One of the two."

"That doesn't matter Harry.  You won't lose against You-Know-Who.  You can't.  And no one would blame you for ridding the world of its greatest threat.  It's an act of mercy.  Of good."

"She's right mate.  You'd be hailed as the savior of the world.  Again.  But that's not what Hermione loves you for.  She loves you because you're…you're…you're BLOODY HARRY!  Around her, You're Harry Potter, The boy who was normal.  The one who cares about her.  The one who tries so hard to be more than he is.  That's who you are.  That's who you're supposed to be.  Not this cynical, depressed THING you've become.  If you have to kill Vo…Volde…VOLDEMORT DAMMIT!  IF YOU HAVE TO BLOODK KILL HIM TO GET BACK TO THE HARRY I KNEW, THE HARRY WHO WAS MY BROTHER, THEN FUCKING DO IT ALREADY!  I HATE THIS!"

Harry looked taken aback at the vehemence, quiet from Ginny, but no less meaningful that Ron's loud outburst.

"You're wrong.  You're all wrong."

Hermione.  And she didn't look pleased.

"That's not why I broke up with Harry.  I didn't break up with him because he didn't walk into a trap to rescue me.  That's not why."

"Then please, oh great and wise Hermione, explain WHY you've created this shell. This THING that's standing next to me."

"Because I was tired.  I was tired of being, Harry Potter's girlfriend.  I wasn't HERMIONE anymore.  I wasn't known for my intelligence.  I wasn't recognized because I changed the way things worked.  I was know, I was recognized because I was someone else's girlfriend.  Because I was attached to someone.  And I was, AM, sick of it.  I was tired of getting hate mail from angry females, mad at me because I loved someone.  I was tired of getting stopped on the street to be asked what 'The Great Harry Potter' was like.  I was tired to getting pestered for information on our private lives.  I WAS FUCKING TIRED OF BEING HARRY'S GIRLFRIEND.  THAT'S WHY.  And I guess I got out at a good time too, because he would've USED me to get over the pain of having to kill someone.  THERE'S YOUR BLOODY REASON HARRY.  NOW GET OUT OF MY LIFE."

Hermione stalked back up to her room.

She missed the murmurs that started around the common room.

She missed the look of disbelief on Ron's face.

She missed Harry Potter nod his head and leave the room.

She had done something that Voldemort had never accomplished.

She had defeated Harry Potter.

A/N:  I was listening to Sarah McLachlan's "Stupid" off her Afterglow Album.  It's the inspiration for this chapter.  I suggest you listen to it if you have it, or to go buy the album if you don't.  and THEN listen to it. 

Chapter 8 is coming soon!  Like, right after this!  I'm beginning it as we speak.  Or as I write.  Or something!  Less delay, more writing.

Good stuff.

I like food.  They're like reviews. They're both necessary for survival!  


	8. Sighs Chapter 8

Sighs

Chapter 8

A/N:  Harry got his last time.  Now, What's a man to do when the love of your life tells you to get out of hers?  Decisions, decisions.  Reviews are good.

Oh, and Harry makes a decision that may cost him his life.

NOT THAT.  I DO NOT APPROVE OF SUICIDE.  EVER.

Warnings: Language, Angst.  Lots of Angst.

Now.  On to the Story.

          Ronald Bilius Weasley was at a loss.  That didn't happen too often, but Hermione didn't cuss often either.

          Both had just occurred. 

          Hermione had just broken Harry Potter. 

          "Ron."

          Ron turned and faced his best friend.

          "Take care of her."

          With those words, Harry Potter swept out of the room. 

          "Uh…Sure."

          Harry stalked towards the Headmaster's office.  This had to end.  It was time for Harry to put an end to this. 

          The gargoyle let him up without asking for a password, and when Harry reached the door to the office, he didn't use the knob.

          He blew it off its hinges.

          "Ah, Harry.  I assum…"

          "Cut the crap.  Where is he?  I know you know.  Where is he?"

          Albus Dumbledore was not interrupted often.  He was also not pushed back in his chair by the sheer magical force coming off a person.

          But then, Harry Potter was not a normal person.  Nor was he a normal Wizard. 

          "Are you…"

          "I'm sure.  Where is he?"

          "He is at his lair in the Ayr swamp.  Do you require a portkey?"

          "No."

          And with that, Harry disappeared.

          Albus Dumbledore sighed.  Throwing some powder into the fireplace, he stuck his head in the flames.

          "Minerva?  If you would be so kind as to summon Mr. And Ms. Weasley to my office, Ms. Granger as well.  The sooner the better."

          With that said, confident in Minerva's abilities, Albus settled back in his chair and summoned a cup of tea.

          Harry Potter appeared in the dirtiest place he had ever been in. 

          It was a swamp.  A dark, dank, musty, moist, smelly swamp.  Rotting vegetation was everywhere, and several places bubbled. 

          'Figures he'd hide in the nastiest place ever imagined.  It's a perfect place for him.  Who'd want to come here anyway?'  Harry mused.

          "ALRIGHT VOLDEMORT! I'M HERE!  WHERE ARE YOU!?"

          "Ah…Potter.  If you'd follow me?"  A death eater appeared from nowhere, and beckoned Harry to follow him.

          "Why not."

          With that, Harry Potter walked into the serpent's lair.

          "He did WHAT?!"

          Howlers have nothing on Ginny.

          "As I said before, Ms. Weasley, Harry has…"

          " I KNOW THAT!  WHY'D HE GO!?  WHERE IS IT!?  HE'S GOING TO NEED HELP!"

          Interruptions seemed to be the order of the day.

          "MS. WEASELY!"

          Ginny sat down hard and Albus Dumbledore, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, and The only Wizard Voldemort ever feared stood up. 

          "IF you would be so kind as to let me finish, I'd be able to answer ALL of your questions.  Now.  Harry has gone to face Voldemort.  I do know where they both are right now, but I cannot allow you to follow him.  This is something that Harry must do, and he must do it alone, now.  Ms. Granger, you look bored.  If you are, please feel free to leave."

          "Hermione, he just said…"

          "I heard what he said Ron.  And I don't really care.  If Harry's got to do this, then fine.  He'll do it, and come back and be even MORE famous."

          Ron blinked.

          Ron snapped.

          "ARE YOU BLOODY INSANE?  YOU'RE CRACKED!  WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?  YOUR FRIEND IS OUT THERE, PROBABLY WALKING INTO A TRAP, AND YOU'RE SITTING HERE STARING AT YOUR NAILS!  THEY'RE FINE!  WHO ARE YOU ANYWAY?!"

          Ron slapped Hermione.

          "Mr. Weasley!  I will not tolerate abuse of a fellow student!  ESPECIALLY NOT IN MY PRESENCE!"

          "BLOW IT OUT YOUR EAR!  FOR YEARS YOU'VE BEEN LYING TO HARRY, PUSHING HIM, FORCING HIM INTO A ROLE THAT HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT PAIN!  HOW DARE YOU!  WHERE IS HE.  WHERE IS HE!?  TELL ME GOD DAMMIT!"

          Ron shut his mouth and turned pale.

          'I just yelled at the most powerful wizard alive!  Oh dear Merlin.  Crap.  Crap crap crap crap.  I hope I live…PLEASE let me live!'

          "Mr. Weasley.  I understand that you are upset.  I will disregard your words, and ask you to leave."

          "I'm sorry professor.  Really.  I am.  It's just…"

          A look from Dumbledore sent him scurrying out of the room.

          "Professor…I'm sorry for my brother.  He's just concerned.  We ALL are."

          Eyeing Hermione as she said this, Ginny continued,

          "It's just, Harry got into an, well, and ARGUMENT, and he may be doing something incredibly stupid right now.  We'd just like the chance to help him, to make sure he's okay.  That's all."

          Weasley's did not abandon family.  Albus knew this in his heart.  But he was torn.  Harry needed to resolve this, once and for all, both for the world and his own heart.  But could he do it without the love and support from one who had offered it from the very beginning?

          No.

          "Ms. Weasley.  Understand that I trust you to bring him back safely.  I will allow you to take three students.  I hope that they will be members of the DA, but you may choose whomever you like."

          "Draco, Ron, and Hermione."

          "Minerva.  If you please."

          "At once."

          Hermione perked up at this.

          "Me?  Why me!?  Harry doesn't need ME.  I'm just a girl!"

          "Hermione.  You're the smartest witch Hogwarts has seen in a century.  It'd be stupid not to bring you.  You know every curse and counter-curse there is.  And besides, Harry needs all the friends he can get.  That includes you, regardless of what you said earlier."

          Ginny Weasley was wise beyond her years.

          "Here they are Headmaster.  Draco Malfoy and Ronald Weasley."

          Draco and Ron shut up once they entered the Headmaster's room.  Ron paled.

          "Mr. Weasley, Mr. Malfoy.  You are both here because Ginny has convinced me that Harry requires support in his quest to eliminate Voldemort.  You two, along with Misses Granger and Weasley will go to Ayr swamp and help Harry in any way possible.  Understood?"

          Ron and Draco nodded.

          "Then, please, grab hold of this card," He held out a chocolate frog card, "and you will be transported there.  This will also transport you back, so do not lose it."

          All four nodded and, grabbing hold of it, were whisked away.

          Minerva McGonagall looked at the man who held her utmost respect and sighed.

          "Are you sure about this?  The four of them?  Why not contact the ministry?  Send come aurors!  Surely they'd be better off than four children!"

          "Minerva.  All four of them have a vested interest in Harry Potter.  And I fear that Harry cannot defeat Voldemort without the love and support of his friends."

          Harry Potter collapsed in agony.  Cruciatus was painful, but Harry bore it without a sound.

          "Scream Potter.  Scream and know your defeat!"

          Harry grit his teeth and stood.  Slowly.  Voldemort stopped cackling and released Harry from the curse.

          "Well.  You're tougher than you look."

          "Why don't…you kill…me, Voldemort?  Why keep me alive?"

          "Sport, my young man.  The same as it was with the mudblood.  Sport.  FUN.  You know, she begged for mercy at the end?  She begged me to stop and when I didn't she screamed your name?  But you never came did you?  It really is a pity that Mr. Malfoy and Severus found her.  Oh, don't look so surprised!  I knew both of them were spies.  Young Mr. Malfoy was the easiest to spot.  After all, he was the one who gagged and lost his nerve when…well…and as for Severus, I've known every since I looked into your mind.  Why would a loyal death eater train my most dangerous enemy a tactic to thwart me?  THEY WOULDN'T.  Ah!  Four more of your friends have arrived!  Go and welcome them!"

          The death eaters vanished with multiple _pop's!_ 

          Harry and Voldemort were alone. 

          Voldemort had a wand.  Harry didn't.

          What to do. 

          Decisions, Decisions.

          "So.  Would you like a, what do they call it nowadays, a 'blow by blow'?"  Voldemort cackled.  "I'm sure that I could show you, I DID capture that for, shall we say, posterity?  No?  Pity."

          Harry glared. 

          "So.  What to do.  Ah!  I know.  Crucio."

          Hermione, Draco, Ron and Ginny arrived in the Ayr Swamp, and immediately drew their wands.  And not a moment too soon, as several jets of red light came streaking at them.

          "_Protego_!"

          The spells bounced off harmlessly, and a few, reflected off Hermione's shield, streaked straight back to the casters. 

          "_Expelliarmus!  Stupefy!"_  Curses were screamed, shields erected, the battle waged. 

          "Draco!  Find Harry!  You've got to!"

          "AH!!"

          "RON!"

          Ron fell.

          "_PROTE…"_

          Draco fell.

          "NO!"

          "DROP YOUR WANDS! NOW!" 

          The two looked around.  They were surrounded on all sides by, what seemed like, endless rows of death eaters.

          "NOW!"

          The two looked at each other and dropped their wands.

          "_Stupefy."_

          The world went black.

A/N: Cliffhanger, I know.  I'm tired though.  It's like 3 AM.  So.  I don't know if Ayr HAS a swamp, but it's near the ocean, and I needed an English town/city name.  Ayr sounded good.  Sorry if you live in England!  I don't, I live in America.  I couldn't give you the name of a swamp if my life depended on it.  SORRY! 

f


	9. Sighs Chapter 9

Sighs

Chapter 9

A/N: Well. Now that my creative moment has passed…Short chapter today. I'm sorry! This is not the last chapter, so don't worry. Besides, It's going to be a Harry/Hermione story! We have to have at least 1 more chapter to wrap everything up, right?

Right?

Hello?

Now. On to the story.

* * *

As the last images faded away, Harry Potter drew in a great shuddering breath. On his hands and knees, he had just witnessed, quite possibly the most horrible thing he had ever seen.

Hermione, broken and dying, because of HIM.

'Why? WHY. WHY HER?!'

"VOLDEMORT!!"

Harry shot to his feet, the air crackling around him. 'I'll kill him for what he's done.'

With a scream, Harry sent every death eater in a 50-foot radius flying.

With a curse no one had ever heard before, he brought Voldemort to his knees.

"You did everything right Voldemort. You amassed a huge army, you killed the most powerful aurors this world has ever known, and you turned the most powerful wizard of all time into a cowardly little man. You shattered the greatest alliance ever known. But there's one thing you forgot to do, Voldemort."

"You forgot to kill ME."

Voldemort sneered, seemingly un-amazed at the greenish glow surrounding Harry.

"You think that a glow is going to hurt me? HA! You have a lot to learn little boy. I can glow as well!" With that, Voldemort began glowing an eerie green as well.

"If you hate me so much, little Potter, the come and GET me!"

With that, the battle was on. Harry and Voldemort shot curse after curse after hex at each other. Many were dodged but those that made it through were repelled by the greenish glow surrounding both of them.

Harry was beginning to get tired. Using that much magical energy, and running around a giant throne room did not make for easy times. His glow flickered and died, and he felt the burn of a spell pass by his face.

"You're mine Potter! _Avada Kedavra!_"

Hermione watched as Harry fell.

"NO!"

Harry lay motionless on the ground.

"Harry!"

The collective cries behind her brought Hermione back to her senses.

"VOLDEMORT!"

Hermione stood up, glaring at the man who had terrorized her life for seven years.

The person who had killed Harry.

"You'll fight me now."

"Very well, show me what a mudblood is capable of. I assure you that it is not nearly as much as a pure blo…"

"_Stupefy!_"

With that, Hermione and Voldemort clashed. The greatest student to attend Hogwarts faced the greatest threat the world had ever known.

Her hatred of Voldemort fueled her rage, and her magic. He had destroyed everything she had come to love. He had destroyed her friendships, her love, her home.

As Ginny, Draco and Ron watched, Hermione became a blur of motion, casting shield charms and throwing hexes at Voldemort. She was never in the same place for Voldemort to hit, always moving.

"You will tire mudblood! I don't care how much you hate me, it can't fuel you forever!"

"It doesn't have to Voldemort. Because you won't be around forever."

Harry.

Glowing RED.

Both of the combatants stopped and stared. Voldemort, in disbelief, Hermione in relief.

"Hermione. Back down. He's mine."

"No, Harry, we'll get him tog…"

"Hermione! Back down! This is personal. This is NO TIME FOR AN ARGUMENT!"

With that Hermione bowed her head and retreated back to the safety of the group of Ron and Ginny and Draco.

Hermione seethed. 'He still won't let me do anything to help him!'

"He doesn't have to do this alone! I can help! You all saw how I can help!"

"Hermione, we're not saying you're not useful, because you are and you were AMAZING, but this is something Harry's got to do. It was in the prophecy, remember? One of them has to kill the other. And since Voldemort seems incapable of killing Harry, Harry has to kill Voldemort. And besides, he doesn't want you hurt."

"But I can HELP! I can distract Voldemort!"

"HERMIONE! If you're out there, Harry has to worry about YOU. You'll distract Harry as well as Voldemort! Settle down and enjoy the show. I'm sure that Harry will make short work of Voldemort."

With that, wise words from Draco, Hermione sat down and watched.

Sat and did nothing while the man she loved walked into the greatest battle the world has ever seen.

"So Voldemort. It's interesting how you claim to hate anyone who's not a pureblood. I think it's interesting because you're not a pureblood. Your father was a muggle right? So. Come and show me how much a HALF blood can do."

_"Avada Kedavra!"_

The spell hit Harry's glow.

The glow absorbed the curse, and seemed to expand, growing brighter and larger.

"You can't kill me Voldemort. You've tried for 18 years of my life. Never once did you kill me. That was your mistake. You could have. But you FAILED. And now, you're going to pay the price for that failure. Your time is up, Voldemort. Leave this world, MY world, in peace."

With that Harry uttered words no one had heard before; Voldemort screamed, and without a sound, he vanished, leaving his robes smoking on the ground. Harry walked over and picked up Voldemort's wand, the brother wand of his own, and snapped it in two.

"It's over."

Back in Hogwarts, a ghostly scream echoed through the halls, and Albus Dumbldore sat back in his chaise lounge, and sighed.

"No, Harry. It has just begun."

* * *

A/N: It's short, I know! I'm sorry. But it didn't seem appropriate to put romance into a battle scene. I've seen it done before, in movies and such, and it ruined the entire move for me. Don't worry. There'll be more fluffy angst next chapter.


	10. Sigh Chapter 10

Sighs

Chapter 10

A/N: Short. Massively short. Wow. 10 chapters already. That's crazy. Awesomeness.

This is NOT the last chapter. No, no, no dear friends. So don't worry. I was just stating that there was going to be at LEAST 1 more. There's probably about 3 more left.

Warnings: Language, probably.

Now. On to the story.

* * *

> "So, how'd it go?"

"He's dead. He's paid for all the lives he's taken, and all the lives he's destroyed."

Voldemort was gone. No two ways about it, and this time, he wouldn't be coming back.

"Where are the others?"

"Oh right. About that. Thank you for having faith in my ability to destroy Voldemort BY MYSELF. You were always telling me that I was the one who needed to kill him. Me. Alone. None of that 'team' crap. It was always just me. So thanks for sending a team to 'help' me when all you've been doing is telling me how alone I WILL be. They're in the hospital wing, getting checked by Madame Pomfrey. Like I probably should be. But you need to know if your weapon against Voldemort succeeded. So here I am. And now you know. Happy?"

With that, Harry stormed out of the Headmaster's office and out to the lake. It was early in the morning, and, for once, the sun seemed to be coming out. Sitting on a rock, Harry admired the first sunrise of a free world. A peaceful world.

"Harry."

Harry jumped at the sound of Hermione's voice, but didn't turn around.

"What?"

"We need to talk. We've needed to talk for a long time. Now, finally, we can."

"What makes you think we need to talk? You've said what you wanted to say; I've said what I wanted to say, and that's that. I'd really like to be alone right now Hermione. I've just killed someone. Now that the initial rush of satisfaction has passed, I'd like to mourn all the people I've FAILED to save."

With that, Harry turned his attention back to the rising sun.

Hermione was left speechless. Without another word, she spun on her heel and walked away.

Harry heard her go and sighed.

"Hermione. I'm sorry."

He was met with silence.

Harry Potter sat and watched the sun rise.

It was a new day.

* * *

A/N: Short. I know. But it seemed like such a good place to end this one. Longer next time. Sorry, Sorry!


	11. Sighs Chapter 11

Sighs

Chapter 11

A/N: Sorry about the last chapter. I wrote a lot more, but decided that where I ended it was the place where it needed to be ended. The rest of it just seemed superficial and tangential. This one should be longer.

Warnings: None.

Now. On to the story.

* * *

That evening at dinner, Harry sat with Ron and Hermione, chatting and laughing. Draco and Luna also found their way over to the Gryffindor table, Ginny switched places with Dean; the team that defeated Voldemort had their first relaxed dinner together.

"Tonight," Albus Dumbldore stood to address the Hall, "I have joyous news to report. Voldemort is no more." At this everyone in the Hall fell silent and all eyes locked onto the Headmaster.

"He was defeated yesterday night, by none other than Harry Potter. He was joined by his friends and allies, Hermione Granger, Ron and Ginny Weasley, Luna Lovegood and Draco Malfoy."

Everyone in the Hall turned in their seats as one, and looked at the group. Harry ducked his head while the others waved and smiled weakly.

"As a celebration, all classes for the remainder of the week are canceled. Enjoy your meal!"

As Harry sat and ate, it seemed like every person was intent on shaking his hand or patting him on the back. As a result, he did less of eating and more of smiling and talking. Finally, after what felt like the 1000th person came up to him and started thanking him, Harry excused himself and left the Hall.

Draco and Ginny looked at each other and nudged Hermione.

"What?"

Ginny spoke first, "He's alone now! This is your chance to talk to him! Go on! You both need to talk!"

"Gin's right. You and he need to speak, rather urgently I'd say. Go! Or I'll turn you into a ferret!"

Hermione sighed.

"He doesn't want to talk to me. He hates me. And with good reason too! I'd hate me after what I did."

Ginny almost screamed. This was ridiculous!

"He DOESN'T hate you! He LOVES YOU! AHHHH!!!!"

Draco snickered, and immediately regretted it as Ginny elbowed him in the side.

"She's right you know. Ginny's right almost as much as you are. HEY! WHAT?! It's TRUE! Don't hit me! She's right. You two need to talk. You're driving the rest of us nutters! DON'T HIT ME!" Draco scooted away from his girlfriend as she swatted at him.

"They're BOTH right. Ginny and Draco. I hate to admit it, but they are. You two are insufferable they way you are right now. 'She hates me, he hates me, I don't care,' and so on and so forth! GO! TALK! NOW! DON'T MAKE ME HEX YOU!"

Hermione laughed at all of her friends' antics.

"Alright, alright, I'll go talk to him! But it's not my fault if he hates me…wait…"

"LESS TALK, MORE GO!"

Hermione Granger stood up and walked out, looking for the man she loved. They still needed to talk, no matter what he said.

"Finally. Yeesh. Sometimes I worry about those two."

Everyone who heard the conversation nodded and turned back to their food.

"Harry. I thought I'd find you here. It's very peaceful out here."

Harry acknowledged the voice, but didn't turn around.

"I told you, we've said everything that needed to be said."

"Not everything. And not what NEEDED to be said."

"Look. He's gone. I did what I was supposed to do. Now I just wish everyone would leave me alone. I'm sorry about your parents, and I'm sorry about you, but there's nothing I could have done. Just…let me be for a little while."

"We have to talk! I need to tell you…"

Harry cut her off.

"No! I need to be left alone! I killed him Hermione. I banished him and did it without batting an eye. And now I'm supposed to feel good about that? No! I killed a man! He was evil, but he was still a person!"

"You did the right thing! You did what no one else could! You're a HERO."

"If you killed someone, how would you feel? I'm a hero because I did something horrible! Just LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Harry screamed, the glow once more surrounding him. Hermione was blasted backwards and landed in a heap.

"I just…wanted…to be…left…ALONE!! WHY CAN'T YOU UNDERSTAND!? I'LL MAKE YOU UNDERSTAND!"

"Harry, no!"

* * *

A/N: CLIFFHANGER! MWAHAHAHAHA! Don't worry. It won't be long before I post the next chapter! I'm mean. I know. Sorry!


	12. Sighs Chapter 12

Sighs

Chapter 12

A/N: Cliffhanger! Sorry. I know I know. Maybe I'll delete it and post these two chapters together. Anyway, thanks for all the reviews, I've gotten like 175 here. On Fanfiction.net, I've gotten like 5. I like the people here better. I should start giving reviews. It's just, I think people might take the things I say the wrong way and…yeah, yeah, It's no excuse. I'll go review after I write this chapter!

Warnings: None

Now. On to the story.

* * *

"Harry, no!"

Hermione screamed as a golden shield materialized in front of her and the red light streaking towards her hit it and bounced off.

Dumbledore.

"Harry! Calm down!"

Harry screamed again and sent red light towards Dumbledore. As they hit the aging wizard, they vanished.

"Harry, if you do not calm yourself I will be forced to…"

"FORCED TO WHAT, OLD MAN!? Forced to hurt me?! LIKE YOU'VE DONE ALL THESE YEARS?!"

"Very well Harry. If you insist."

A second duel began, this one between Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore.

Voldemort was a mere amateur compared to Dumbledore.

The two wizards stood their ground and shot spell after spell at each other. Harry's anger had unlocked reserves within himself he hadn't know he possessed, but Dumbledore was fighting with the knowledge of a hundred years of learning. The two seemed equally matched, Harry absorbing every spell that hit him, and Dumbledore conjuring shields and dodging the curses that got through. Spells shot everywhere.

"You're no match for me, old man! You're grown complacent and weak, sitting here, in your school." Harry sneered.

"And you Harry. You've grown overconfident. You're not ready to harness all the power you're using. You'll tire. Before me, if the amount of energy you're expending is any indication."

"You have no idea what I'm capable of. For too long you've oppressed me, told me what to do, USED me for your purposes. NO MORE!"

Harry shot three curses in quick succession at Dumbledore. He blocked the first two, and sidestepped the third.

Or would have.

Harry had maneuvered Dumbledore so that he was trapped against a tree and couldn't dodge the shot.

Dumbledore took the hit, stumbled.

And fell.

"NO!"

Harry screamed, green light shooting out of his mouth and eyes.

"YOU WILL NOT KILL HIM!"

A voice materialized out of nowhere.

"You are mine, Potter! You will do as I say!"

Voldemort. Somehow he had possessed Harry.

"NO! GET OUT OF MY BODY! GET OUT OF MY MIND!"

The green light continued to stream out of Harry. Finally it tapered off, leaving Harry on his hands and knees gasping for breath.

"Professor? What just happened? What was that?"

Albus Dumbledore stood up gingerly, and approached Harry.

"I understand now. Harry, let me see your forehead."

Harry pulled back his hair to show his forehead. Pale, unmarked skin showed in the moonlight.

Harry's scar was gone.

"Professor?"

"I believe, Harry, that when you killed Voldemort, he used his connection to you to transfer his consciousness. He possessed you and used you for his own purposes. Perhaps, had you studied Occlumency as you were instructed to, this may not have happened. But that is the past. Voldemort is truly gone now."

Harry straightened and then winced. But all pain vanished as he saw Hermione laying on the ground, not moving.

"HERMIONE! HERMIONE, NO!"

Harry dashed over to where she lay and cradled her head.

"Hermione? Hermione, wake up. Please, wake up."

When she failed to respond, Harry sat back on his haunches and screamed at the sky.

* * *

A/N: Another Cliffie. I'm SORRY! Don't hurt me! Please? I'm at my job right now so I have to be quick with the chapters. When I get home I'll write another LONGER, MUCH LONGER, chapter. I promise. At least I explained what happened! Right?

Right?

Hello?

I'm so alone.


	13. Sighs Chapter 13

Sighs

Chapter 13

A/N: JEEBUS! Don't kill me! I'm writing, I'm writing! Long chapter. Hermione's not going to die. Yeesh. It's an H/Hr story fercryinoutloud! All will be resolved. Don't worry.

Warnings: None. Language. Maybe.

Now. On to the story.

* * *

"Fetch Madame Pomfrey immediately."

Several students scampered off to alert the Medi-witch, and Dumbledore knelt next to Harry.

"She is not dead Harry. She's merely unconscious. No doubt from one of our deflected spells."

"But she's that way because of me! Because I didn't study like she told me, or because I couldn't control my actions, or because I wasn't careful enough!"

"Out of the way! Out of the way! My goodness! Albus! Mr. Potter! What happened here?!"

"It's a long story Poppy. For now, would you please attend to Ms. Granger? I believe that she has been stunned."

"Of course! _Ennervate_."

Nothing happened. Hermione remained as still as stone.

"I do not believe it was a traditional stunning spell. Perhaps we should me this inside?"

Harry refused to let Hermione be taken from his arms, insisting that he bring her personally to the Hospital Wing.

"Do you think she'll be alright professor? I don't think I could live with myself if something happened to her!"

Harry seemed to be bordering on hysteria.

"I'm sure she'll be fine, once Madame Pomfrey gets a full examination. Until then, we must trust in her abilities and Ms. Granger. We can do nothing until then."

Arriving at the Hospital Wing, Madame Pomfrey directed Harry to one of the empty beds, and then tried to shoo him out.

"There are things that should remain private! I cannot examine Ms. Granger fully unless you leave! Out!"

Harry looked less than pleased but did as he was told, hovering around the curtain encircling Hermione's bed.

"Professor. I'm not leaving her alone. I did before, but I won't again. I'm not leaving her side until she wakes up."

"Of course, Harry. But do not deprive yourself of the necessary things. You must eat and sleep, just like everyone else. Those are the only conditions I have."

Harry nodded, and began to pace.

"How long can it take to examine a person? Can't she move any fa…"

Harry trailed off as Madame Pomfrey pushed aside the curtain and glared at Harry.

"She'll be fine. She is under the influence of and EXTREMELY powerful stunning spell. It may be a few days before she wakes, but I am positive she will make a full recovery. I will notify you when…"

"No! I'm staying here. Professor Dumbledore has already agreed to it, and there's no way in HELL you're going to make me leave. I left her alone when she needed me once already. I won't make that mistake again."

The vehemence in the young man's voice startled Madame Pomfrey, but she nodded, reluctantly.

"I'll eat and sleep when I need to, but other than that, I'm staying here."

With that, Harry conjured a chair and sat down.

Three days later, Hermione awoke to the sound of light buzzing.

'Cicada? But I'm indoors! How could…oh.'

She looked over and smiled.

Harry sat in his chair, sound asleep, snoring, and drooling slightly.

"Harry." She whispered.

"HUH!? WHUZZAT!? HERMIONE!"

Harry sprang out of his chair and latched on to Hermione.

Hermione was taken aback.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean for any of this to happen! I didn't mean for you to get captured, or injured, or stunned, or hurt or, or, or…"

Placing a finger against his lips, Hermione smiled.

"I forgive you, even if there's nothing to forgive. You didn't mean to, and you would have made sure I was safe if you knew. We were both being stubborn arses."

Harry sighed, and hugged Hermione.

"I'm glad you're ok. I almost lost you, and this time it was my fault. I can't lose you."

"Harry, it wasn't your fault. It was V…Vo…VOLDEMORT! It was his fault! Not yours! You, you weren't yourself. You're not to blame!"

Harry looked as if he might protest, but Hermione turned on the Death Glare, full power.

"Quite right Harry. It was not your fault. It was Tom's fault, as well as mine. I should have been more aware of your actions, and aware of where your deflected spells went. By the way, that was an amazing display. Not too many wizards can throw off a possession the way you did. I thank you for reasserting yourself, and for saving my life."

"But, but, I didn't, I mean…I…what?"

"Harry, Tom was about to kill me using your body. He had me trapped, and beaten. If you hadn't fought him off when you did…well, let's just say, I'd be a little more see-through right now."

Harry looked shocked and embarrassed. A combination he seemed to be getting a large amount of practice with.

"I shall alert Mr. And Ms. Weasley. Mr. Malfoy as well. I believe that they will all be glad to hear that you are alive and well. They seemed rather worried."

Dumbledore smiled at Harry and Hermione with that familiar twinkle, and swept out of the room.

"Now. Harry. We have to talk! No! Close your mouth. You're going to listen, even if I have to get out of this bed and tie you down."

Harry, who's mouth had been open to reply, snapped shut. When Hermione said that she would be willing to resort to PHYSICAL means of restraint, one stopped what they were doing and listened.

"Good. Now. I'm sorry. Nope! No talking. This is listening time! I'm sorry for blaming you for my…my…capture, because it wasn't your fault! NO! NO TALKING! JUST LISTEN! It wasn't your fault, no matter how much you try to blame yourself. It was mine for not paying attention to what was happening. It was Voldemort's for capturing me. IT…WAS…NOT…YOUR…FAULT! I don't blame you. While I wish you were there, you weren't. I depended on you too much, and that got me in trouble. Harry. Close your mouth. I still have to say things! What I said about the reason I broke up with you? Lies. Convincing lies, but still, nonetheless, lies. I wanted to get back at you for not coming to save me. It was wrong, I was wrong and I'm sorry. I never…well, I DID mean to hurt you, but I…oh this is so hard!"

Hermione slapped her bed in frustration. It wasn't often that Hermione couldn't find the words to say what she wanted to say.

"I never meant for it to go that far! I guess…I wanted you to feel what it felt like to be alone, to be abandoned. I didn't remember that you already HAD that experience. I'm SO sorry for what I said about Sirius, that wasn't your fault either. And I'm sorry for saying it! I just….I wanted you to know that I'm proud of you! Really! I am. I mean, you've done so many things by yourself. And you didn't do them alone by choice! I…I…"

Hermione choked back a sob and looked away from Harry.

"Can I talk now?"

Hermione gave a watery laugh and nodded, turning back to Harry.

"Ok. I'm sorry for not being there when you needed me the most. Not to rescue you, because I didn't know that you had been taken, but when you woke up. I know what it's like to be alone, especially after finding out something terrible has happened to the ones you love the most, and I subjected you to that. No one deserves to be alone, especially when they need a friendly face. I'm sorry. I wish we could have had this talk before, when we were still friends. But we're having it now, so it'll have to do. Sirius was responsible for his own hide. I know that now. But if it hadn't been for me, he wouldn't have been there in the first place. I'm sorry I didn't listen to you, and brushed you off when you told me that I should stick with it and study my Occlumency hard. If I had, well, I wouldn't have hurt you. I wouldn't have tried to kill the man who's helped me so much over the years. But I meant what I said, when I told you how I was feeling, when I was watching the sunrise. I had just killed a man, an evil man, but still a man. And while my brain was telling me I'd done the right thing, it didn't FEEL right to be praised for being a murderer."

Hermione didn't bother to hold back the tears this time, and threw herself at Harry.

"So, I guess what we're saying is that we're both sorry."

With another watery laugh, Hermione looked up. Harry had tears in his eyes as well, but he was smiling.

"Friends?"

She shook her head.

"BEST friends. Forever."

"Forever."

Harry and Hermione sat together and cried.

As Ron closed the door to the Hospital Wing, he heard a faint, "So does that mean I can still copy your homework?"

He smiled. All was returning to normal. As normal as it ever got, around here.

"They're going to need a few more minutes guys. Let's go get some food. I'm sure that they're both hungry."

As Ron led the small group towards the kitchens, he could only think of one thing.

"It's about time."

* * *

A/N: NOT THE END! NOT THE END! NOT THE END! It's not! If you look at the category it's a ROMANCE fic. So this is not the end. One or two more chapters. It's longer! Right? I promised it would be longer. Please don't kill me! Please?

Hello? HEY! I SEE THAT KNIFE. PUT THAT DOWN!

more fluff next time. I think.


	14. Sighs Chapter 14: Teh Fluff!

Sighs

Chapter 14

A/N: Well.  Finally.  I know, I know!  It's Short too!  I'm SORRY!  Longer next time.

Warnings: Massive amounts of fluff.  I'm not too sure how well I can write fluff, so there may be some angst.  But mostly fluff.

Now.  On to the story.

------------------------------------------------------------------

          "Hey you two, break it up ey?" 

          Ron.

          Master of Timing.

          He was met by a rather shaky "Hey Ron" and a watery "Hi."

          "Gee.  Don't get up to thank me all at once."

          It was then that the two on the bed noticed the HUGE tray of food Ron was carrying.

          "Wow.  That's a lot of food."

          "Yeah Ron, what did you do?  Empty the kitchens?"

          "Ha, Ha, very funny.  NO, I did NOT empty the kitchens…well, not ALL of them.  And besides, Dobby insisted.  He said I could finish whatever you two didn't eat.  I think that was a compliment."

          Harry and Hermione laughed.  It felt good to laugh.

          "So," Ron queried tentatively, "Is everything alright?"

          Harry and Hermione looked at each other and nodded. 

          "We're fine."

          Ron looked a little skeptical; 'fine' was a rather vague word.  But if they weren't fighting, then it was better.

          "Good.  Now.  I bet you're both hungry.  Eat up and I'll tell the others that you're ok.  Both of you.  EAT!  Dobby threatened me with no food for a week if I didn't get you two to eat.  So eat!  NOW!"

          With that, Ron left to find Draco, Ginny and Ron. 

          Leaving Harry and Hermione alone in the Hospital Wing. 

          As they munched on their food, they talked.  They talked about things they hadn't talked about in months: Quidditch, books, chess, pranks, teachers, homework, NEWTs, the past.  Nothing was closed for discussion.  They caught up on months of news, and if one could see emotions and friendship, they'd have seen the threads connecting the two mend and weave themselves together once again.

          They were interrupted from their meal as Ginny came in a threw herself at the duo.  Ron and Draco were a little more restrained, Ron giving Harry a hug, a manly hug, but still a hug, and Hermione a kiss on the cheek.  Draco shook Harry's hand and clapped him on the back, and, when Hermione hugged him, he looked a little embarrassed.  But it was ok.  Everything was returning to normal. 

          Almost, anyway.

          "So.  When's the shagging going to happen?"

          And so Draco was almost given a concussion by two girls.  He managed to avoid it by falling off his chair with laughter.  Ron was next with his comment.

          "Soon I believe.  I mean they were practically there when I looked in on them."

          Ron wasn't as quick so he ended up on the floor laughing his head off by means of two pillows. 

          Harry kept his mouth shut, but still received a pillow for his struggles.

          "Hey! I didn't say anything!"

          "No, but you were thinking it!  Don't even try to deny it!  Boys!  Bah!"

          "Fine.  You want to play rough?"

          With that, the greatest pillow fight in history began.  When Madame Pomfrey came back in, she could barely see through the feathers. 

          "Mr. POTTER!  Mr. Malfoy!  Mr. Weasley!  WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"

          All five froze.  That was her 'I'm going to hex EVERYONE INTO NEXT YEAR!' voice. 

          "OUT!  OUT! ALL OF YOU OUT!  YES EVEN YOU MR. POTTER!  I WILL NOT HAVE YOU HARRASING MY PATIENTS!  OUT!"

          With that, the greatest pillow fight in history was over.  Ginny was allowed to stay, only because she didn't have a pillow in hand when Madame Pomfrey came through the feathers. 

          "See you guys later I guess.  I hope she'll let me out soon!"

          And that, as they say, was that. 

          A pillow smacked Harry in the back of the head as he walked out, which was followed by a "We win!"  All three boys smiled ruefully as they walked away.  Girls.  Can't live with them, can't live without them.  And can't win against them. 

          "Hey Weasley!  I challenge you to chess!"

          "Oh for crying out loud!"

          "You're on!"

          Things were back to normal. 

          Almost.

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A/N: Short.  I'm sorry!  I'm not good at teh fluff.  The fluff.  Whatever.  More next chapter.  And don't worry.  This IS an H/Hr ROMANCE fic.  So, as Malfoy said, the shagging will happen. 


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